Pentagon Interrogation Tapes

A very important story that was published last week but not mentioned in the discussion during Tuesday's class is the Defense Department's extensive review of tapes from US military facilities. On March 13th, 2008, the New York Times reported that over 50 tapes exist, which document interrogations "from Iraq to Guantànamo Bay" with some featuring "forcible gagging" of a suspected terrorist. The review began in late January when Congress began investigating the destruction of CIA tapes that featured US agents conducting harsh interrogations. A link to the full story can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/washington/13intel.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin I think this story is important because Americans need to be aware of the many ways that the war in Iraq is effecting our country's relationship with other countries on several different levels. According to the article, only a fraction of all of the interrogations that our country has conducted since 2001 have been recorded. I think this is far more important and informative to the American people then a biography on Client #9's now-infamous call girl.

Crime/Confict news among National/Local publications

According to the notes we received in class, 31% of local news is made up of information on crime and/or conflicts, while 28% of national news is made up of crime and/or conflict news. After initially hearing this, I thought that these numbers were pretty surprising. I would think that the New York Times would have then the Ithaca Journal to report about crime and conflict with the war in Iraq and the civil wars throughout the world. The more I think of it, however, it makes sense because local news is more likely to report about the crime incidents (assault, homicide, robbery, etc.) that go on in the community, where the New York Times is less likely to write about such incidents, unless they are brought to the federal level, which happens less often. The New York Times is also more likely to write about national economic issues, where as local news talks more about local businesses and events.

Objectivity in modern society

It may be argued that modern technologies have sort of taken the job of a journalist at its most basic form -- people have the ability to inform themselves instantaneously and draw their own conclusions based on the information that is given to them. I think that objectivity is now obsolete in this age because people like reading an INFORMED point of view, and not necessarily the "truth." This may sound kind of ridiculous, but if the "truth" existed, most of the problems in the news would be resolved and no debate would exist. In other words, the world news in modern day society is so complicated that ONE single objective view of them is impossible -- there are several perspectives in all of these issues and focusing on one of them as being the "truth" would do a disservice to the public. That is why its important for people to get their news from multiple sources so that they can draw their own conclusions from all of the news coverage.

Maybe the role of the journalist and the ideal of the "objective bystander" should be reinvented. Maybe if journalists released themselves from this unrealistic standard they would be able to do better work, and in effect, produce better and more relevant news. Although lots of journalists have tried this and continue to produce informed but subjective reporting, this idea has yet to be accepted in the mainstream.

McCombs Agenda Setting Theory

As a sociology major, I would definitely argue that public opinion is constructed by structures within our social, political and cultural lives. An entity that is a product of the ideas constructed in these larger structures is mass media, whether that be films, news broadcasts, newspapers, online magazines, or personal blogs. As discussed in class, a recent example of this in US media is the medias construction of fear. Whether it is anthrax, SARS, Y2K, or todays terror level, US citizens have the tendency to always have something to be afraid, and the media is the place in which people citizens receive this information.

US citizens are more concerned with being killed in a terrorist attack then in a road accident (which occur more often) because they are not as frequently bombarded with issues in the news on drunk driving, drivers on drugs, road rage, or cell phone use while driving, among other modern road safety issues. I would argue that this exists because there aren't any major political leaders with a stake issues related to the road safety industry. I think that those in power in our society have the ability to express their agenda and political goals, and one of the most power outlets for them to take advantage of is the media.

Issues in the News: Why the New York Times?

I admire the New York Times as both a reader and a potential journalist. From a readers perspective, I personally enjoy reading the New York Times because of the elevated language that its journalists use. Since both full-time students and professionals rarely have time to read literature, I think the New York Times has two very important purposes: to provide relevant and timely news to the reader, as well as to enhance and challenge the vocabulary of the reader.

From a journalists perspective, I admire the ability of the New York Times to write with "balance" and "objectivity." Most front page stories are long, each paragraph containing long sentences that are packed with concise and accurate information. The tone of the articles is intelligent and informed, and appears to be cautious of making grandiose and over - the - top statements.

The New York Times sets the bar for the news throughout this nation with their headlines each day. The news sources throughout the country as well as worldwide look to the New York Times on a daily basis to see what they are writing as their headline news. Aside from headline making news and reports form the region of the Northeastern US, The New York Times also achieves excellence in a wide range of topics and their connections to the rest of the country and world from book and movie reviews, dining, the arts, fashion, education, health, sports, travel, and science, among other topics.

Finalmente...I photo da Sicilia!

Palermo:











Baucina:



Here's Daniela!! She made us this dolce tipico di Pasqua e era buonissimo...

"You are beautiful."

A few weeks ago, while in one of my 4th grade classes, a girl Noemi, who is already 5'4 and towering over all the boys, called me to her desk. Whispering in english, she said, You...are...beautiful." I blushed because it came out of nowhere, and stammering in Italian I said thank you and that she is beautiful too.

Last week, before the class started, Noemi came up to me with this drawing:



I told her that I don't have a sister and I actually have two brothers, Michele and Antonio, but that I love her drawing anyway. They always forget that my family is Italian and they all loved that my brothers have "traditional italian names." When I spelt my last name for the teacher at one point, the entire class went nuts, all yelling to eachother, "SHE'S ITALIAN!!!!"

From the kids to the old ladies, this country's got a lot of love to give...