Live With Passion

I will reiterate in this post my love for Seattle; the city is absolutely breathtaking.

The view of the city from the hotel was mesmerizing, the group and I frequently traveled to the top floor to admire the skyline. There really are no complaints that I can think of that reflect on the quality of the trip; the only problem was that it ended too soon.

The first couple of days there, I was opened up to a whole other world full of possibilities; the city made such an impression on me that I convinced myself that the West Coast is my future home. The vibes that the city had were so welcoming that it reminded me of my passions in music as well as journalism.

Pikes Place Market was swarming with talent and friendly faces. I cannot believe the conversation I had with artists, writers, and other salesmen about their career and talents. I just met them and it was like we were long time friends catching up. It was hard not to reflect on my choices I have made as well as why I was in that glorious city in the first place.

During my senior year of highschool, I had to make a tough decision concerning whether or not to pursue a career in journalism, or to continue down the road of musical theater, a passion that I have had for 12+ years.

Making that decision was one of the hardest choices that I have ever made. To be honest, if I had not decided to peep through my mom’s filing cabinet, I would most likely be in the Music Department at CCSU, or God knows where.

In one of the drawers, my mother had been storing my work for years; short stories I have written, songs and poems that had been placed in certain competitions throughout my academic career. After sitting for a good half an hour diving into my past, I realized that writing was the only career choice I had. I love music, I love performing, but writing really is my talent.

One has the ability to express themselves in any way possible, whether it be through an instrument, or through a paintbrush onto a blank canvas. I am fortunate to be able to express myself through multiple outlets, but overall I feel that writing is that one outlet where I am completely satisfied with my finished product. Some may disagree and claim that my choice in journalism is a little dodgy; many ask me if I regret the choice, but I always say “no” immediately.

This conference was just what I needed in terms of that reminder, a keynote speaker named Jerry Brewer was a big contribution to that. Brewer is a sports columnist for The Seattle Times. Although I am not interested in writing about sports, his mentality was refreshing and just what I needed to hear for that motivation boost to continue working towards my goal to write for The New York Times.

Brewer said that “business is passion.” No matter what career choice one has in mind, it is a business and one should be 100% passionate when they are reaching their career goal or in the actual work force. No questions asked.

Brewer told the audience to always ask “why” and to think two steps ahead of their subject. In order to be a good journalist you need to ask an unlimited amount of questions; one needs to scrutinize and break through the layers of their subject in order to get the full story.

He also asked the audience three questions:

“How deep is your love for news?”

“How agile is your mind?”

“How thick is your skin?”

Those are really the best questions one must ask themselves in order to ensure that journalism is the right choice. While Brewer asked those questions, I sketched down some answers while he was going through the motions of each one.

My love for news is indescribable. I see each reader as a personal friend and the only mission I have is to make sure that they get all of their questions answered. I need to find every angle, every twist and turn there may be in a story to ensure that whenever someone puts down my piece after reading, they are left with some sort of impression. I will go to any step I need to get my story, I will step on toes to get that interview. I will probably be reprimanded, but I will not care one bit. Being a journalist is getting the truth out, and not caring about the consequences.

Business is passion. Make sure you are a compelling journalist. Be positive that your finished product will satisfy the readers. That is who we write for. Another thing Brewer said was, “give a damn.” Come on. If every journalist doesn’t live by that mentality, then they are wasting their time.

My family sometimes tell me that I take this too seriously, that I need to take a breather. Some people don’t just understand journalism and that passion, I guess. I love music, I love singing, but there is no way in hell that I am turning back now.

These conferences always seem to come at the right time in my life, at a moment where I am feeling vulnerable and need a good reminder as to why I am there. I take what I learn there and I bring it not into just journalism, every day life. Passion is what drives people. If you don’t have passion for something, what is the point?

West Coast Fever

Greetings from Seattle!

This post is going to be a little difficult to write, for there are all of these different thoughts and emotions flooding my mind right now. It is going to be hard to describe how wonderful my first day was, but I will give it a shot. 

Seattle is a breathtaking city. I woke up this morning a little confused because of the slight time difference, but after a nice cappuchino with an extra shot I was back in the game.

We really could not have had better luck with the weather; not one drop of rain fell from the sky today. There were moments when the sun poked it’s head out and warmed us up as we traveled the streets, complete bliss. A good feeling after leaving Connecticut and the snowy weather behind us.

It was a little chilly today, I would have worn my peacoat rather than my new pink rainjacket if I had known. Also, the flats were a bad idea for walking, but after the day I had, no complaints whatsoever. 

This is the cleanest city I have ever seen. The only interesting smell that one can sense is the smell of the water nearby, and I absolutely love that smell.

The shops are incredible, and Rachael and I are going to do a little shopping tomorrow. I need some boots, and quite possibly a leather jacket. 

After walking quite a bit, we finally reached the Space Needle. It was $20 to take a glass elevator ride to the top, and completely worth every cent. I was mesmerized as we arrived to the top. 520 feet in the air, we were able to view the whole city. The sight was absolutely marvelous, and if possible, I would have stayed up there all day. 

Pikes Place Market was my favorite part of the day. There is so much talent and passion in this city; at every corner, one can find a musician playing an intrument ranging from a guitar to an accordian with crowds surrounding them soaking in their performances. The people here are very friendly, very refreshing after experiencing people from the east coast. The feel of Seattle is very welcoming, you feel like you belong there with all of the strangers you encounter as you travel through the busy streets.

The market was wonderful, fresh everything. The seafood here is perfect. For lunch we went to this sushi place and not only was it cheap, but it was delicious. Not to mention, the Starbucks here is incomparible to any other coffee place I have been to. 

I was able to talk to a few artists at the stands in the marketplace; I purchased one piece and also received a free piece of art because I am left handed. Can’t beat that, can you?

The man that I met who gave me the free drawing was absolutely brilliant, his artwork was something different and something I have never seen before. 

Jon had the ability to take something realistic in Seattle and twist it into something completely bizzare by adding something unexpected to the piece. One picture was an birds-eye view of Seattle and then a woman surfing in the air, which was the piece I chose for free. He had color in some of his pieces with a blacklight affect to it. According to Jon, some pieces took him up to two months and required an impeccable amount of patience. 

Jon was very friendly, the group and I stood at his stand and spoke with him for a good half an hour, going through his work, diving into his story and in awe of his talent.

His personality was different, speaking very sophisticated but his appearance would make him seem opposite. He was the most interesting person, showing his work and explaining his inspiration for each piece. His black ink pieces were my personal favorites, this man has talent and he genuinely loves what he does. He was inspiring. 

I’m not going to start taking up drawing, let’s not kid ourselves. I realized how remarkable passion really is and reflected on passions that I hold within myself. Writing for me is just like Jon’s artwork. Something I want to display to the public, show what I have to offer. I can stand and talk about what I love to do for hours, anyone can. Along with writing, music is something I can do four hours on end. People like Jon make you remember why you have passions, and that one should never hide what they are good at. Embrace your talents, and show the world what you got.

This city is remarkable; today was one of the best days I have had in a long time. Although this is a large area, Seattle seems to be a community, everyone seems to go through their day fluid-like, as if there is no worry or care in the world. It is a good step away from reality. Taking in new atmosphere, people, the art and the refreshing new landscape is something that everyone should do every now and then.

Tomorrow is the first day of the conferences, I am very excited to meet new people and learn more about myself and journalism. If every day here is like today, then I will probably never return home. 

 

Hello There, Seattle!

Hold up. I have a blog? Kidding. But seriously, where have I been?

I have been awfully busy lately. With seven classes, writing for The Recorder, and trying to maintain this sudden social life I have been having, there is rarely enough time for me to grab a bite or sleep, let alone write a post.

I’m actually a bit embarrassed, to be honest. I see my friends that have blogs posting all the time, and every time I get that notification email, a huge sting of guilt runs through me. I love writing on this blog and I probably do have time to at least write a small blurb every now and then. I just haven’t had my head in the game it seems. That will change.

Good news though. This upcoming Wednesday, I will be traveling to Seattle, Washington, with a few good friends from The Recorder for the  ACP National College Media convention until March 5th.

This will be my second time on a plane, third time traveling far out of New England. I am a lot less nervous than I was in the fall when I took my first plane ride to Orlando. If I had a blog then, I’m pretty sure I would have had a million posts about that adventure.

I will be posting something every day on the trip, maybe multiple posts, if needed. I will share things that I have learned, what I have experienced. Seattle is an amazing place, so I have read, and I am beyond excited to share every moment with you. I know that my family will be harassing me via phone every day, so when they do, I’ll just tell them to check out my blog…kidding.

Rachael (Upgrade Editor) and I will also be making a documentary of the trip, something I have never done before. I went to the mall and bought all the snazzy clothes and I honestly feel rejuvenated. I am determined to learn so much on this trip and be able to bring back as many things as I can to contribute to the publication.

I’m also excited about this documentary, and the people I will be going with. Orlando was quite the experience, and I know that the group that I will be traveling with will be anything but a normal experience. We are all characters, and seem to have a strong bond that I can’t really feel with a lot of people but a select few. I could not think of anyone else I would want to travel with.

I want to meet new people in Seattle, see what they do, hear what they do. I want to hear their stories and think, “Oh good, I don’t do that,” or, “That has got to be the best idea I have ever heard.” I want to pick up other publications, get some ideas. See what not to do and see what needs to be done. That’s really the point of these conventions, really. This isn’t a vacation, this is something that one should take back with them to better their journalism career, and newspaper that they work for. The Recorder is my life, as corny as that sounds. I wake up immediately thinking of what needs to be written, what I can put in that section that the readers would love to learn more about. I have found my passion.

So make sure to keep up with all of my posts next week. I’ll have my camera and I will upload photos on the sights that I see or whatever I feel worthy to share.

Page One: Inside The New York Times

“Journalism is alive and well and feisty, especially at The New York Times.”

That is essentially how the documentary, “Page One: Inside The New York Times,” ended.

The closing quote was made by the former Executive Producer, Bill Keller, who had resigned in the documentary and announced Jill Abramson, the first woman to assume the role in the paper’s 160 year history,  would be taking his place.

I decided to start my post with the ending of the documentary because I simply could not agree more with that statement. If you read my post on print journalism and the transition to media journalism a while back, you know that I am an advocate for print. I love it, to be honest.

When I sit back and imagine where I would hope to be in fifteen years, I see myself graduating from graduate school and going straight to becoming a news writer for the New York Times. Being a journalist has always been a dream of mine, and as a woman that will not accept anything but the best, the New York Times is really the only option.

Tonight was the first time I viewed the documentary. It is not that I did not want to see it, I did. It just took me a while to get it and have some spare time. I borrowed the film from my journalism professor, and I am sad to admit that he probably will not be getting it back for quite some time.

I watched the introduction three times; it was mesmerizing. The way they brought you underground and the shots of the newspaper being created and sent off to the public was genius. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up through the first couple of minutes while Andrew Rossi, the director, took us through the history with dramatic music and pictures and the overlapping of different news stories media clips.

This documentary was just a reminder to me as to why I love what I do. I wake up every morning and go down to the student center to pick up a complimentary issue of the New York Times with a nice cup of coffee and just experience news. It is heart breaking to sometimes see that the pile that is refreshed daily is often times untouched.

It is disappointing, especially now that one cannot even view their stories online without having to pay. Some say that they can obtain their news, for free, from other easier sources, but the NYT is the best of the best. Take any major story released in history and trace it back to its original source, and I can guarantee you that it will be the New York Times. The New York Times is the most credible paper out there.

WikiLeaks, an international online organization, publishes private and sometimes classified media to the public submitted by anonymous users. This really is genius. A tad criminal, but genius. The public is able to see things that we usually can’t, and the question of whether or not the founder, Julian Assange, an Australian Internet-activist, is either a villian or a hero, was brought up in the documentary. The group has released a number of significant documents that has caused the media and world to hold their breath for a moment.

In 2010, WikiLeaks released thousands of secret military documents from Afghanistan, bringing the public eye into the private world that is known to be a safe and liable one.

The New York Times immediately got in touch with WikiLeaks and collaborated with them in order to be able to publish some of the documents. Although these documents have been viewed by thousands upon thousands of viewers, having these published in the NYT definitely created a bigger impact. The NYT received negative labels from other institutions and the media that they “disgraced their citizenship” and were being threatened of prosecution. That is beyond ridiculous. The New York Times actually has the gall to publish these things because of their passion to get the news out, despite any consequences. I admire them for that.

When WikiLeaks released 250,000 confidential diplomatic cables, the New York Times used that information on the front page for nine days in a row. This just shows that there are other sources that we, as journalists, can use to get news and with collaboration, there is even more of an impact. Competitors are like crutches for the NYT, except  they are able to stand up without them.

The NYT owns the phrase “hard news.” They have owned that phrase for the past 160 years.

Rossi’s choice of following David Carr’s story was absolutely perfect. If you were to reflect on his past, you would see a troubled man addicted to different drugs, living off of welfare, his life in shambles. Looking at him now, you would never expect that man to be behind Carr. This guy is real; Carr represents every journalist and emphasizes it every moment, he is one true badass. I can only hope I can be anything like this man in the future. He is a great role model to have.

David Carr, sitting at his desk, a snapshot taken from the film, Page One.

Carr states that the media landscape is changing dramatically, with the new devices such as the iPad and other tablets coming around, it is not hard for a person to be swept away from it’s technology. Carr had made a comment while browsing through the NYT mobile site. He said it was “just like the print newspaper.”

I own a Vizio Tablet and I check the NYT mobile website at least 5 times a day when I don’t have the print version in my hands. Even their website is top notch. They are active on Twitter and every writer has an account. The New York Times is global, and it is the most powerful newspaper.

People strive to protect the NYT. Could the NYT go out of business? What would the world be like if it never existed? These questions literally ran through my mind while viewing this documentary.

I think that there is a lot of pressure on every newspaper that is still producing print. There have been cuts on the frequency of distribution, staff cuts, any sort of disaster like that, you name it.

Every journalist out there is going through the “journalism crisis,” everyone is pressured to do more than they possibly could in order to keep print on print.

The New York Times is a running paper with a legacy, it is hard to let that go and I know that they will continue to fight for it as long as they can. The New York Times brings forth news that other institutions cannot, and they will resume to do so until their last breath.

I suggest that everyone should watch this documentary, it was amazing and just viewing the trailer afterwards gave me the chills.

 

First Week Back

I just wanted to start out this post apologizing for being MIA the past week; I figured that I would have some time to post something about the debate, but sadly, that was not the case.

This first week was nuts, my schedule and working for the paper this week barely gave me any time to eat, let alone sit and relax and unleash my thoughts on to this blog.

This past week was surreal, to be honest. I pretty much had one of the best week’s of journalism.

On Thursday, I got to see where and what the Davidson Hall bell really was, I put on a hard hat and neon vest and toured the construction site, and I talked to President Robert Kennedy from the Board of Regents about the tuition increase. Really interesting, big stuff.

I definitely had a boost of confidence this week in my writing and as a journalist writing for The Recorder. As one of the News Editors, I have a big responsibility in coming up with ideas, filling the section with great content, and managing Twitter accounts. If you read my last post, I was a little on the edge about how well I would take the promotion, but that was last week.

After this week, I definitely found a different love for journalism. I was acting on things just based on intuition and really using my brain when it came to certain events and deciding how to handle things. Of course, I was nervous as hell when I first picked up the phone to call Kennedy, but once I heard his voice, all of that anxiety drained away. I realized I am fully capable of being a successful journalist.

Touring the construction site was awesome. I have never done anything like that before by myself. Dan, our Photo Editor, was there with me to take pictures of the site and over this week we have definitely become good friends as well. I may have gotten a little muddy and had to do a good scrubbing to my new boots, but it was really worth it. Dan took great photos and I had a lot of fun writing this story. I think James Grupp, the guy that oversees the construction,and I have a pretty good relationship going on. I saw him on campus later on and he remembered who I was. It’s really all about making relationships with people. Definitely helps you out.

I looked a little ridiculous in the vest and hard hat, but I learned more about the progress of the new academic building than I think I ever would have if I didn’t take that tour or had the opportunity to do for the paper. I feel like readers will want to read it. They will want to see what is really going on out there.

I also wrote my first feature-like article on the Davidson Hall bell. I learned where it is located and got to see what it is all about. I won’t spoil anything, you’ll have to read it in the next issue. Writing the feature was fun, it was new for me and gave me a chance to add a little creativity to my writing. Definitely a fun change.

I am beyond confident that Justin and I will maintain an awesome section this semester. Justin has the drive that I have, and is always thinking and working on what we can put on the stands next. We make a great team. I am hoping for more news writers to come in. I met a couple last week who were interested. I am excited.

Before I wrap it up, I know everyone has been keeping up with the Joe Paterno news, so I just figured I would babble about my feelings towards the whole situation.

Last night, false reports were reported on Twitter by Onward State, a student run news website, that Paterno had died. The initial action by Onward State led to CBS Sports taking that news as legitimate and getting the big story out as well.

Finding out the truth, that it was completely false, the Managing Editor of Onward State resigned, and wrote a letter apologizing for his mistake, which followed comments of threats and angry remarks by fans that were mourning the loss of a legend.

Today, however, affirmed reports released that Paterno did die this morning of lung cancer.

I will openly admit I am not a huge sports fan, I know nothing about football, and the only sport I pay attention to really is baseball. I am mainly looking at this from a learning,  journalist’s perspective.

It baffles me that Onward State, being from Penn State in the first place, did not get the story right. It also concerns me that when they heard the news, they didn’t go directly to Paterno’s family first. This really just shows how careful you have to be as a journalist. It really is a great learning experience.

Basically, what I am trying to say here is to make sure your facts are 100% correct before you send something out to the public. The consequences can be seen on ESPN and other possible sources if you ever think you might want to take your chances.

Spring Semester, 2012

For the past month, I have been ashamed of my sleep habits. I know, a bit dramatic, but I take sleep very seriously.

I have no idea what is wrong with me.

This winter break I have been awake until 3 or 4 am, and would then proceed to sleep in until noon; wasting a great portion of my day when I could be doing countless activities.

Before my insomniac ways, I used to make sure to get to bed before midnight and get enough rest to wake up and take my day by storm. I would go to breakfast, go to class, go to the office, do journalism-type things, and do homework. Now, I am up pacing my kitchen, drinking endless amounts of tea, and watching reruns of “Jerseylicious,” the worst show I have ever seen. I have discovered that taking Melatonin is a good remedy to get me to fall asleep before the sun comes up.

I am hoping that this weird episode will soon fade for classes start Wednesday and reflecting on that, my schedule is filled with morning classes and I now have a new role to take on as News Editor for The Recorder.

I am beyond excited, but very nervous as well. The previous News Editor, Jon Stankiewicz, was an amazing Editor. His passion for news and the ideas that he came up with were awesome. He was very, very dedicated in terms of reaching out to the students, whether it be through Twitter or any way possible, to be honest. His footsteps will be hard to follow, but the example he had presented towards Justin and I, as well as the whole staff, will always remain a precedent to me as I take on this semester.

This morning I woke up at 5 am and my mind was racing with all of these ideas that I can apply towards the news section.

Ever since I recieved the news yesterday of my new position that has been the only thing on my mind.

News. The Recorder. News. So excited. School (My thought process).

Anyways, I got out of bed and immediately wrote things down; anything that crossed my mind.

After transferring it to my fancy new tablet, I looked over my list. A great list. I am highly anticipating Monday’s meeting.

It is about 8 am and everyone in my house is still sleeping and here I am writing a post.

The semester is about to begin on Wednesday, and Monday I am moving in to my dorm room. I already have all of my stuff packed and yesterday I finished shopping for all of my “dorm room essentials.”

If any of you have spoken to me for the past month, you would well know that I have wanted to return to school once break started. The type of personality I have is the kind where I cannot have nothing to do. I always have to go by a schedule and I always need to be doing something productive to make time pass by. Winter break is fun up until New Years, then it is time to get going.

When I am in school, I am basically the happiest I can be. I can proudly say that I am the biggest nerd.

I wake up knowing just exactly what I need to do that day. I have timed events, whether it be class or a meeting. I have articles to be written or an interview with a person on campus. I am kept sane by being put in the “Go, Go, Go” daily cycle. People think I am crazy, I tell them that it is the way I function and to mind their own business.

This break, I did attempt to make a schedule for myself. I would schedule a time to wake up, I would plan out an activity that I would do for the day, such as read a book, or watch a movie. That did work for about two days, until I realized that I was not getting anything productive done.

I know, so unhealthy to always want to keep moving, but that is the way I operate.

That actual drive that I have is mainly the reason I started this blog. After a good week of convincing from my friend Mike, I discovered a way to do something productive while enjoying it at the same time. As a writer, this blog is a perfect test run of my abilities with writing. I learn more and more about my techniques and style, strengths and weaknesses, and clarity and focus in each blog post.

This blog gives me the ability to express my opinion, which I am not allowed to do when I write news. This blog gives me a voice I think I have never had, and I hope it has shown people how passionate I am about writing and news and how grateful I am that I have someone to write to.

This blog has given me the self confidence I do not think I could have achieved if I never started it.

I am hoping that this semester I will have time to frequently post my thoughts. I know that with the GOP and my new obsession with politics, I can guarantee you that there will be something about those topics on here. I love rambling.

This semester I am determined to kick butt in school. Last semester was honestly the best semester of my academic career at CCSU. I am very proud that I maintained the grades that I did while personal drama erupted around me. I kept my head on straight, I studied and worked hard and kept up with my job on The Recorder and I am so happy I stayed level headed. This semester, I am going to do ten times better.

In terms of being News Editor, I am confident, but as a natural worrier I cannot help having some slight nervous tendencies about the whole situation.

Last semester, I watched as the News section dominated the paper and every section in the paper just got better and better. Outside of the office, I received compliments on how well The Recorder was doing this semester, and I cannot express enough how happy I am to hear that. We all work so hard to get that content out and make sure an issue is on the stands each week that will make the readers happy. I say that we succeeded and will continue to do so this semester.

This semester is the last for a good chunk of writers on The Recorder, and I am just hoping that we make it a great one, I know we will. We lost Jon and Matt due to graduating last semester, but their hard work and efforts are just being mimicked by us, and I am extremely proud of what they have accomplished and the paths they have chosen now.

Looking forward, I think that this semester is going to fall together quite nicely.

Wait, How Much?!

It’s that time again, folks. After a nice break from school, every student has to undergo a huge amount of unbearable stress that definitely gets one into the spirit of the semester. I’m talking about buying your textbooks for classes.

After a conversation with Jon (www.jonstankiewicz.wordpress.com),  on the matter, I decided that I should take a quick gander at the list of textbooks that I need to purchase for my heap of six classes that I am taking this semester. After going on the CCSU Bookstore and punching in my class and section I totaled the results and my jaw dropped: $533.85!

If one were able to visualize my financial situation, imagine myself opening my wallet or what would be composed inside my bank account. Flies would emerge out of the wallet and cobwebs would be sticking to the empty, desolate compartment.

After that bad description, it is obvious to note that I simply cannot afford these textbooks, one bit.

Just Biology alone costs $267.75 for the “REQUIRED” supplies that I need.

This semester, I am taking a biology class with a Lab along with it, and I am nervous enough as it is. Science is just not my strongpoint; writing and English have always been the subjects I have thrived in throughout my academic career.

Just one book for biology costs $152.35, USED. Alongside that, there is a package component that costs the same price.

I did not add that into the grand total, for I was a little confused for both textbooks are the same edition, the same author and the same publisher. The only difference is the ISBN, the last three digits are different. If this is the case and I have to buy both, my grand total would be $686.15. I really hope that’s not what is going to happen, so, if anyone can help me out on deciphering what this means, much appreciated.

I’m not done with biology yet. Another package component is required for this class, and that is the “access” component, which is $95.35 and then the Lab manual which is only $20.05. Good stuff, right? I am freaking out alone with just biology.

I have come to the conclusion that if I have to pay this much for this class, I will not get anything lower than a B-. I will hold you to it to remind me if I come out of this semester with anything less.

My communications class requires a textbook for $43.50, used. Not too bad, not as bad as Bio.

For my English class, a package set of two of those over-sized, overwhelming Norton books which costs $58.25 used. How my professor is planning on cramming in those two heavy set books in a three month course is beyond me, but I will have the upmost respect for him if he succeeds.

My News Writing and Reporting journalism class has a required textbook for $88.60 used along with an AP Stylebook that is required for $20.30. Now, as a journalism major and a writer for The Recorder, I am going to need an AP Stylebook around me at all times. These textbooks are essential.

Now, last, my statistics class. Again, just like science, math is another subject that I absolutely cannot seem to grasp. The textbook for this class is $55.40.

That totals up to give or take $533.80 or if I am right about biology, 686.15, but I certainly hope it is not the latter.

Reflecting upon that, I cannot believe the prices on these textbooks. It is absolutely unbelievable what we have to pay in order to take these classes.

Thankfully, I take the “one week” route where I go to all the classes and see what books I will really need. This is a lot more efficient for a financially crippled student like myself, so I do not buy all of these expensive books and then find out I do not need them.

That exact experience happened to me first semester of my freshman year where I purchased a $90 book and then proceeded to find out from the teacher that the book was not needed. When I returned it to the bookstore, I received a fraction of what I paid for, and I was beyond livid. Never making that mistake again. So long story sort, “one week” method is the way to go.

Yes, I know you are all thinking it. Amazon, Chegg, all of those websites. I checked and the prices are not even close to me saying:

“What a bargain!”

Or:

“Man, a lot cheaper than the prices on the CCSU Bookstore Website!”

I do not know why, but I cannot find any of those deals. Am I looking in the wrong places? Am I just really bad at finding bargains?

Again, if anyone can help me on that, I would love you.

Stressing out over paying for textbooks is ridiculous, but everyone does it. It takes a huge dent in our wallets and savings accounts and our self esteem. Really.

I received the Verizon Tablet for Christmas, and I am going to download “Nook” or one of those type of e-book applications and maybe, I’m praying, I will find a solution to this heavy grand total.

I wish you all luck as well.

Tick…Tick…Tick

 Source: The New York Times    

A picture of the uranium-enrichment facility located near Iran's holy city, Qum.

Word on the street is that Iran is now in the production of their second major uranium enrichment site. Iranians also hope that their current nuclear program will continue to grow despite of their restriction in oil revenue. Great!

Iran’s new project is located near the city of Qum at the Fordo plant, where their facility is located underground at a site where the resistance to air-strikes are higher than their first site, located at Natanz.

Apparently in 2009, President Obama and his counterparts in England and France declared their opposition to Iran to make this second site and had doubted that they would go through with it. Obviously, they were wrong.

According to the Kayhan newspaper and CNN, Iran had began their uranium enrichment facility during the height of threats by foreign enemies.  Take that as you will.

Iran claims that their motive in making this enrichment site is solely for national security and hoping to gain alternative energy sources due to their lack of oil. Another use that they hope to gain from this site is for their citizens, hoping that this will help end cancer or for other medical uses.

A source from the Kayhan newspaper had stated today that:

“In order to provide medical assistance to 800,000 cancer patients, Iran needs to enrich uranium up to 20% to be able to feed Tehran’s (research) reactor that produces the needed radio isotopes.”

U.S State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that Iran’s development of the amount of percentage of uranium is “obviously a problem.”

I most definitely agree with that statement.

When one enriches uranium at a low concentration, one is able to fuel power plants; however, when uranium is enriched at a higher concentration, one is able to produce a nuclear bomb.

Iran is hoping to enrich uranium up to 20 percent which is clearly an amount that states that one is attempting to reach a higher, different nuclear program. That amount is higher than the 3.5  percent being made at their first base at Natanz.

Iran’s actions now are a violation to their present nuclear obligations, such as the U.N Security Council resolution.

America has been keeping an eye out on Iran since November when we found out that they were developing the technology needed to build a nuclear weapon. Now, they seem to be taking the next step!

After a day of questioning, Iran stated that they have a right to “peaceful” nuclear technology, which is true, but I think that they are forgetting that they are Iran.

Any country that is known to be producing any type of nuclear weapon should be acknowledged as a threat, no matter what their claimed purpose might be. The fact that they are so persistent on the matter and went against their agreement to not produce this plant just shows that they have an unknown, dangerous motive.

Think of the location of this site. Up in the mountains, isolated, and underground so that their base is resistant to any attack by enemies. Come on, now. There is no way that one cannot be suspicious regarding those facts.

Now, the European Union is planning a meeting for all foreign ministers to meet to discuss whether or not to administer an oil embargo with Iran by one week to Jan. 23. That is another scary thought. Currently, France has called for measures of “unprecedented scale and severity” against Tehran, while Germany and Britain are against it.

I think that Iran is doing this in order to further increase their threat to other nations.

For the past week, Iran has been threatening international shipping thus depleting our sources for oil.

Their reasoning for “citizen security” and “medicine” purposes is in my opinion, completely ridiculous. I just hope that nations, including ours, will monitor this site with extreme vigilance, or we might have another North Korea on our hands. The last thing America needs right now is another war.

Check out these articles on the subject for more info:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/world/middleeast/iran-will-soon-move-uranium-work-underground-official-says.html?ref=nuclearprogram

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/09/world/meast/iran-nuclear/index.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/diplomats-confirm-new-iranian-uranium-enrichment-say-work-increases-nuke-fears/2012/01/09/gIQAZFN1kP_story.html

Romney: Keeping It “Kassual”

Tonight was my first viewing of a debate, and I definitely ranked my expectations too high.

I was expecting a lot more attacks, more heated discussions and at least one blow up from a candidate. In my opinion, the debate was rather disorganized and scattered; candidates focused on topics that did not need that much exposure and definitely disregarded the predetermined time limit. For example, was fifteen minutes debating about gay marriage really that necessary?

If I were to rank each candidates performance tonight, it would go:

1. Mitt Romney

2. Jon Huntsman

3. Ron Paul

4. Rick Santorum

5. Rick Perry

6. Newt Gingrich

The last two I think can be easily swapped, but other than that, I feel that these rankings are pretty correct.

Mitt Romney kept a calm, cool, and collected demeanor throughout the whole debate with his hands in his pockets and an easy-going stance as his rivals expressed their views. I think that Romney knew that he was going to be one of the main targets at this debate, and thus decided to keep it casual and avoid any confrontation.

Already leading the other candidates in New Hampshire by double digits, his tactic to not appear flustered but calm was effective.

The only thing Romney did that is getting a little old is his attacks on the Obama Administration and the amount that he boasts. Romney definitely needs to hire a man to stand beside him and pat him on the back while he talks about himself.

Jon Huntsman was never a big candidate to me; I never really focused on him as much as I have the other candidates. After tonight, I am definitely going to consider him at a higher level in this race. Although he did not speak much in the beginning, I started to warm up towards him as he expressed his views on gay marriage. Hunstman did not exactly knock on the idea, but expressed that same sex couples could have a “civil union.” It’s a start, right? It’s definitely a view that is far in comparison to the other candidates who brought what lies in the Constitution into the subject.

When Hunstman did speak, he did make a few good points in regards to foreign policy. In opposition to Romney’s view on China, Hunstman expressed that the last thing that America needs is a war on foreign policy. I most definitely agree with that. Not to mention,  Huntsman came out of left field and decided to speak Chinese while defending his viewpoint, leaving Romney speechless. That was a great moment, no one can top when someone breaks out in a different language. Not to mention he used the term, “gobbledygook” in one of his rebuttals. Pure genius.

The first couple of rounds, Ron Paul definitely had center stage. He was constantly being attacked by other candidates and I think he handled himself well. He presented good remarks and stood by everything he said. Paul also had recieved the first applause from the audience when he counterattacked Newt Gingrich on his views towards the military.

Two days ago, Paul had called Gingrich a “chicken hawk” because he had not served in the military. When one of the moderators brought that up to Gingrich, he had stated that although he did not serve in the military he understands the effects and importance that it has on our nation. Going further into the conversation, Gingrich also stated that at the time he was given the opportunity to join the military, he had just been married and just had a child. In response, Paul then stated that when he was in the military he was married with children, but went anyways. Uproars of applause exploded from the audience.

At that time, I even said outloud, “this is definitely Paul’s debate,” I even tweeted it, I think. Paul definitely had his moments in this debate, but his spotlight did diminish as time went on.

Rick Santorum is definitely not my favorite person. I do not like his condescending demeanor nor his viewpoints at all.

In the beginning of the debate, one of the moderators asked Paul a question concerning his “Betrayal” ad towards Santorum. When Paul started to respond, the microphone emitted feedback, and as soon as that happened, Santorum interjected saying that the microphone was picking up that Paul was about to tell a lie.

Now, I understand that this is politics and a debate; I cannot express that any further. But as I have gathered from ad’s, viewing speeches and reading other articles regarding  this man, many of Santorum’s tactics are not beneficial to his image and his chance at winning.

When Santorum called out Paul, you were able to hear the disagreement in the audience and their reaction to what he said. But of course, that was one of the only interesting things that happened throughout the debate.

Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich were the two that can be flip flopped in ranking. They expressed their views, but neither of them made a big impact on the debate, to be honest. Gingrich has always been a favorite of mine to tease and poke fun at, and I absolutely disagree with everything that comes out of Perry’s mouth. In my opinion, both of these candidates are whack jobs.

Watching the analysis after the debate, I can see that a lot of the analyzers believed that Romney won this debate tonight; I could not agree more. His actions were effective and he answered and rebutted in a calm and precise manner. Although I do not agree with a lot of things that he says, I can see his passion for the nation and respect him for that.

The next debate I am hoping to watch is the one in South Carolina on the 16th.  I am moving into school that night, but I am definitely going to try to view it and I am looking forward to it. I really do not know what to expect, but I am hoping that there are more interesting events than there was at tonight’s debate.

Iowa Caucus: Good Luck, Gingrich

Sources for this post: New York Times and Politico.com

If you have been keeping up with my posts, I  ”hit the target” discovering politics and been able to keep up with the GOP. I have been watching YouTube videos of speeches and stumbling across a plethora of articles that keep me updated with what is happening. One can say that I “hit the bulls-eye.”

Currently, Iowa has been a host for the first caucus which begins tomorrow. Republican candidates have been holding their bus tours and speaking to Iowa’s residents in small churches and common meeting grounds to get their vote.

These past couple of weeks have literally been the most entertaining weeks so far this break and I have been glued to my computer screen keeping up with all of the commotion of the Iowa primary process.

The three candidates that I have been paying most attention to are Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich, (for kicks). To be honest, they are really the only ones that I have seen make any impact right now.

If I had to predict who was going to win the Iowa caucus, my vote would go with Ron Paul.

Paul was one out of the only two to meet Virginia’s ballot signature requirement aside Mitt Romney. Paul is now currently sitting at the top with Romney in his third attempt running for President as well as being the oldest candidate, at seventy-six.

From what I have read, Paul’s intention is not to make his efforts seen as a campaign, but essentially as a movement, where whether if he wins or not, his ideas will create a spark and continue to grow.

What I like about Paul is that he is humble; Paul does not ask for a citizens vote nor does he state that he sees himself sitting in the Oval Office come this fall, he is simply presenting his ideas. I also noticed that Paul draws in the biggest and most excited crowds that all contain less undecided voters in comparison to his rivals.

At a rally Thursday night, Paul joked by saying, “I’m so disappointed, they said I was going to meet with a lot of undecideds.”

I feel as if a lot of Americans will like his attitude towards his campaign strategy, that this is not a plan of action, just simply something to get everyone going.

At his last campaign stop on Friday, Paul said:

“I do not know what the future will bring, but I do know that a message can be sent. Hopefully a message can be achieved with this election, with this campaign. Maybe on Tuesday. Who knows? I don’t know what the result will be, but I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction and that many people are awakening now to the need for more liberty and less government.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/70997.html

Onto Mitt Romney. I cannot help but say that Romney just looks like a Presidential figure. He has the look. Romney believes that there is a “dramatic choice” between two very different paths that can be taken in this country. For the past week, I have seen Romney switch his focus onto President Obama.

Romney states that he is going to offer American a “merit-based” and “opportunity society” while Obama offers an “entitlement society.” The thing I do not like about Romney is his attacks on Obama.

Yes, I understand the whole strategy of the campaign: to make yourself look good, but the effort made in attack ads is only taking away one’s time from other pressing matters. I personally believe that it is unprofessional.

In his speech on Monday, Romney stated:

“We’re an opportunity nation, I think the president wants to turn us into a European-style welfare state, an entitlement nation, where the role of government isn’t to provide our freedom and opportunity, but instead the role of government is to take from some to give to others in the name of equality.” Reiterating his fear of becoming a European welfare state.

On top of all that, Romney decides to compare President Obama to Kim Kardashian and her 72 day long marriage.

At one of his speeches in Council Bluffs, Iowa, he made this statement:

“You know, I’ve been looking at some video clips on YouTube, of president Obama, then candidate Obama, going through Iowa making promises. The gap between his promises and his performance is the largest I’ve seen since, well, the Kardashian wedding and the promise of ’til death do us part.”

If elected President, Romney says he will cut government programs that are not seen to be crucial to help balance the budget as well as  open more markets for American goods by negotiating trade agreements. All great promises. If he didn’t attack others so much, I would take him seriously.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/us/politics/on-eve-of-first-voting-of-12-a-last-pitch-in-iowa.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimes

Last but not least, good ol’ Newt Gingrich.

Apparently, today was an emotional roller coaster for Gingrich as his self confidence rose and diminished in terms of his standing in the caucus. He has been sending out mixed signals all day, first saying he would not win Iowa, but now the tables have turned suddenly.

A change of heart came when a supporter announced directly to Gingrich on a tele-town hall that he needs to stop publicly announcing that he won’t win the caucus. I definitely agree.

There is nothing more of a turn off when someone continuously puts themselves down, and that is exactly what I think Newt Gingrich has been doing. In fact, he has been doing a lot of things that I would not advise if he plans on continuing his run.

Gingrich stated that the attacks that he has been receiving from his rivals and his lack of immediate response has been the reasoning behind his fall in November. In my opinion, I think Gingrich is a sourpuss and a pessimist. A classic “grinch,” if you will.

His lack of organization led to him being unable to meet the requirements for the Virginia August primary. On Christmas Eve, he compared his failure to Pearl Harbor, a comparison that is not even close in relation whatsoever and then switched it to an “I Love Lucy” episode where she was frantically placing chocolate onto a conveyor belt. Come on, now.

Now, Gingrich has made a very humble prediction that he will place between second and fourth place in tomorrows primary. Dream on, Gingrich.

If Gingrich is elected President, I will move to Canada. I think America is smarter than that though, I have faith.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71014.html

If all else fails, we can all “Make America Great” again with Donald Trump. Yeesh.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71000.html