The movie "Shattered Glass" was shocking, especially after we read his article Hack Heaven. Stephen Glass was an excellent storyteller and suck up. What really caught my attention in the movie were his frequent use of compliments and the quote, "Are you mad at me?" He used several tactics to lower the guards of his coworkers and bosses and it worked. He got through the system and many fabricated articles were passed through. It makes me wonder if a factful magazine should have a better security system, like doing doubles pieces, taking photos, having the interviewees call in to confirm there was an interview that took place, etc.
This class was pretty fun overall. I enjoyed writing the pieces and taking the time to talk to people about what they thought. It was thuroughly enjoyable. The only thing I diliked was the photo shop portion. It was time consuming and we didnt have enough time to make a decent picture. Plus designing the news paper articles on there was more difficult than it should have been.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Eastview's Expectations
On the way down to lunch you see flashy signs reading:
"Buy a Prom ticket!"
"Buy a Senior Party ticket!"
"While you're at it, buy (insert item here) too!"
You make your way to lunch and as soon as you place your eyes on one of the little white tables, a woman screeches from the other side about all of the things that you just read in the hall.
"Same old Eastview, never resting," someone says behind you.
It’s a wonder that your ears and pockets have not been melted from the overuse. And then the cogs begin to turn in your head. What really is the cost of Eastview’s Expectations?
Here; I'll guide you.
A prom ticket, if bought on time is $70, per person. Assuming you have a date, that’s $140 dollars for the both of you. So long paycheck for a part-time employee!
"But it includes dinner!" they defend.
Yes. It does. However, you don't always have a choice when it comes to seating arrangements and therefore your dinner is with strangers. Lovely. The romantic dinner you've always wanted. And it consists of a 4 (ish) ounce piece of meat, veggies, and potatoes that are half-cooked. Put simply, enough to fill up a starving cat.
"After your night of romance, don’t forget to buy a Senior Party ticket for a night of fun!" shouts a mom from the PTA. "We know you've already spent $140, plus $85 since you realized late that you really were going to want to remember people with that yearbook, but unfortunately because you bought this ticket too late, it’s no longer $75, it is now an extra 10!"
So let’s see your tab.
$140 for being a sweetie and paying for Prom
Plus $85 so you can remember all of the great (and not so great) friends from school
Plus another $85 for a party AT SCHOOL for fun.
That will be 310 dollars please!
Why are those eyes so wide? Don't you want to fit in with the crowd? Come on! Jump the band wagon!
Plus... you still haven't paid for the little things. Don't forget the dress or tux for prom, the ride there which just HAS to be something extravagant, the gas to get you to and from the school before the grand march and after the actual dance to the after-parties. You're going to need-
Hello? You look a little pale. Are you sure you're cut out for this Eastview thing? I'll let you mull it over; maybe you could ask your parents for a check?
Monday, May 9, 2011
Editorial Questions
1. What is a problem/issue that our entire student body (our school, community, country, etc.) faces today?
The high prices of prom, senior party, etc.
2. What is your view/position on the problem or situation?
The prices are rediculous.
3. What would you like to achieve with your editorial? (What is the desired result?)
Get people to realize that our school is sucking money out of us worse than a vaccuum.
4. How will you persuade your audience to adopt your viewpoint as theirs? List at least 4 persuasive points.
A. I will make it relatable
B. Its timely (prom, senior party, graduation)
C. They're important topics in our school.
D. I'll do a cartoon/visual(:
5. How will you motivate your readership to action in your conclusion?
Promote a sense of realization/anger via my cartoon.
6. How will your editorial serve a public purpose?
We're high school students. We dont have a lot of money to dish out. If we save money, it will be easier for the less fortunate to attend such events and maybe our saved money will go to a greater, more important purpose.
The high prices of prom, senior party, etc.
2. What is your view/position on the problem or situation?
The prices are rediculous.
3. What would you like to achieve with your editorial? (What is the desired result?)
Get people to realize that our school is sucking money out of us worse than a vaccuum.
4. How will you persuade your audience to adopt your viewpoint as theirs? List at least 4 persuasive points.
A. I will make it relatable
B. Its timely (prom, senior party, graduation)
C. They're important topics in our school.
D. I'll do a cartoon/visual(:
5. How will you motivate your readership to action in your conclusion?
Promote a sense of realization/anger via my cartoon.
6. How will your editorial serve a public purpose?
We're high school students. We dont have a lot of money to dish out. If we save money, it will be easier for the less fortunate to attend such events and maybe our saved money will go to a greater, more important purpose.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
From Hospital to Hero
You can see them; they are just up the street. Your heart races because they're beautiful, one of a kind and the setting sun shines catches the love of your life in a stunning pose, shaded with oranges and pinks. This pose is something you want to soak into your memory and make last forever.
Martin Seligman remembers.
"In those moments she was gorgeous. I wanted to hug her in that sunlight and get down on my knee right there. But I had already planned a fantastic set up for it. And then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, I had to wait more than three months."
A 24 year old Lily begins crossing the street before she hears the squealing tires. Her ballet shoes are hanging in her right hand, dancing in the light breeze as if the absence of her feet would never stop them. Her graceful gait pauses for a moment to glance at the street corner, one foot with the toe pointed on the pavement, her neck arced gracefully, again posing.
"That was the last delicate pose I ever struck, and I remember trying to look so perfect just in case anyone was watching."
Her movements were never candor. They were always filled with emotion, confidence and beauty so to keep her dancer’s posture and connect her dance with the very essence of life. She was a dancer at a prestigious art school, taking classes for ballet, maybe you've heard of it: Juilliard?
Lily Seligman, now 53, twiddles her thumbs and then looks up. "I knew. Oh yes. As soon as I paused I knew I should have kept on walking. I'll never forget that absolute feeling of dread."
Mrs. Lily Seligman, at the time Lily Andrews, was then struck by a drunk driver. As if she had suddenly grown a set of wings, her body flew over thirty five feet and then rolled an additional twenty due to the impact. Eventually she lost momentum and collided with the curb.
"Ah. I remember not knowing which to go to first," Mr. Seligman says as he glances sadly off to the side. "It was either her ballet slippers which had landed delicately on the hood of the car, or Lily's mangled body. It took a lot of effort to even move."
Lily was placed in intensive care for severe internal bleeding, numerous broken bones and a concussion. After two months of a coma-like state, she woke. But even then she wasn’t fully coherent and if she wanted to speak, she couldn’t have. Her jaw had also been broken and was wired shut to be repaired.
"I had broken nearly every bone in my body. I was told they were going around 45-50 miles per hour and was lucky to be alive. I was gruesome looking. My body was bruised and swollen where I could see it. My arms and legs were in casts and I had to be hooked to a breathing machine because a broken rib had punctured a lung. I was also told I'd never dance again."
Lily was proposed to in the hospital by the man who stood by her side every time things were looking down and recovery looked near impossible.
“I was absolutely furious,” she grins. “He refused to even wait until the bruising went down, let alone for me to walk. But I accepted because I really did love him and ultimately he was the one who saved my life.”
Martin lets out a hearty-chuckle and scratches his chin through his beard.
“After that point the life came back to her. It was like jumpstarting a car. She was back in action and just as um… ridiculous, for lack of a better word I suppose. She’s always been up front about everything and from then on she harassed the nurses and doctors just like she would have if she had been well.”
At this point in time, Lily walks around with braces on her arms and legs and then one around her waist to help her hold up her own body. Whenever possible she takes a wheel chair, but because of her diminished strength she cannot take it if she is going somewhere alone, meaning she has to walk under severely painful conditions across parking lots and through stores if they don’t provide a motorized cart.
But even so, Lily is a faithful customer and as I hear it quite a “little bugger” where I work. The first time I encountered her was just months ago as she hobbled through my check out line. After scanning all of her items, she asked to wear a necklace out that she had bought so that it wouldn't get lost in a bag and I agreed. But after a botched attempt and trying to reach around her neck to do the clasp, I realized that she might need help and did it for her. She thanked me by calling me a nice little girl and then stopped herself. “Well, never mind. I guess you’re bigger than me.” I shot her a funny look and then took the opportunity to ask if the braces were from surgery. That’s when she told me her story.
Being a veteran of an accident that shattered my knees and stopped my gymnastics, we became an odd couple of friends who could relate on a new level.
"She struggles every day with tasks that would otherwise be simple," explains Mr. Seligman. "Lifting a jug of milk or a pan is difficult. Sitting up in bed in the morning is also hard. We've learned to take nothing for granted."
So what is the significance here?
It's what Lily is now doing with the money she was awarded from the accident and disability that is truly a feat. Although a portion goes to medical bills, pain medication and constant doctor’s visits, the most of it is going towards a dance studio for children with physical and mental disabilities.
"We were never able to have kids because of the accident," Lily admits. As she lifts a tissue to her eye, her arm shakes violently as if giving way to a tremendous amount of weight. "This way, it’s like we had lots of them and we're doing something that can help them and make a difference in their lives."
They've already picked out a building, had it renovated and have staff lined up to take on this task.
Lily smiles as she thinks about the advertising they've done around her neighborhood and the class. "I'll be sitting in on many of the classes, maybe trying to participate from my wheel chair. I just want these kids to see that there's always a way to make a situation worthwhile. Hopefully I can even build my strength because right now you can see that it’s not so good."
Martin Seligman remembers.
"In those moments she was gorgeous. I wanted to hug her in that sunlight and get down on my knee right there. But I had already planned a fantastic set up for it. And then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, I had to wait more than three months."
A 24 year old Lily begins crossing the street before she hears the squealing tires. Her ballet shoes are hanging in her right hand, dancing in the light breeze as if the absence of her feet would never stop them. Her graceful gait pauses for a moment to glance at the street corner, one foot with the toe pointed on the pavement, her neck arced gracefully, again posing.
"That was the last delicate pose I ever struck, and I remember trying to look so perfect just in case anyone was watching."
Her movements were never candor. They were always filled with emotion, confidence and beauty so to keep her dancer’s posture and connect her dance with the very essence of life. She was a dancer at a prestigious art school, taking classes for ballet, maybe you've heard of it: Juilliard?
Lily Seligman, now 53, twiddles her thumbs and then looks up. "I knew. Oh yes. As soon as I paused I knew I should have kept on walking. I'll never forget that absolute feeling of dread."
Mrs. Lily Seligman, at the time Lily Andrews, was then struck by a drunk driver. As if she had suddenly grown a set of wings, her body flew over thirty five feet and then rolled an additional twenty due to the impact. Eventually she lost momentum and collided with the curb.
"Ah. I remember not knowing which to go to first," Mr. Seligman says as he glances sadly off to the side. "It was either her ballet slippers which had landed delicately on the hood of the car, or Lily's mangled body. It took a lot of effort to even move."
Lily was placed in intensive care for severe internal bleeding, numerous broken bones and a concussion. After two months of a coma-like state, she woke. But even then she wasn’t fully coherent and if she wanted to speak, she couldn’t have. Her jaw had also been broken and was wired shut to be repaired.
"I had broken nearly every bone in my body. I was told they were going around 45-50 miles per hour and was lucky to be alive. I was gruesome looking. My body was bruised and swollen where I could see it. My arms and legs were in casts and I had to be hooked to a breathing machine because a broken rib had punctured a lung. I was also told I'd never dance again."
Lily was proposed to in the hospital by the man who stood by her side every time things were looking down and recovery looked near impossible.
“I was absolutely furious,” she grins. “He refused to even wait until the bruising went down, let alone for me to walk. But I accepted because I really did love him and ultimately he was the one who saved my life.”
Martin lets out a hearty-chuckle and scratches his chin through his beard.
“After that point the life came back to her. It was like jumpstarting a car. She was back in action and just as um… ridiculous, for lack of a better word I suppose. She’s always been up front about everything and from then on she harassed the nurses and doctors just like she would have if she had been well.”
At this point in time, Lily walks around with braces on her arms and legs and then one around her waist to help her hold up her own body. Whenever possible she takes a wheel chair, but because of her diminished strength she cannot take it if she is going somewhere alone, meaning she has to walk under severely painful conditions across parking lots and through stores if they don’t provide a motorized cart.
But even so, Lily is a faithful customer and as I hear it quite a “little bugger” where I work. The first time I encountered her was just months ago as she hobbled through my check out line. After scanning all of her items, she asked to wear a necklace out that she had bought so that it wouldn't get lost in a bag and I agreed. But after a botched attempt and trying to reach around her neck to do the clasp, I realized that she might need help and did it for her. She thanked me by calling me a nice little girl and then stopped herself. “Well, never mind. I guess you’re bigger than me.” I shot her a funny look and then took the opportunity to ask if the braces were from surgery. That’s when she told me her story.
Being a veteran of an accident that shattered my knees and stopped my gymnastics, we became an odd couple of friends who could relate on a new level.
"She struggles every day with tasks that would otherwise be simple," explains Mr. Seligman. "Lifting a jug of milk or a pan is difficult. Sitting up in bed in the morning is also hard. We've learned to take nothing for granted."
So what is the significance here?
It's what Lily is now doing with the money she was awarded from the accident and disability that is truly a feat. Although a portion goes to medical bills, pain medication and constant doctor’s visits, the most of it is going towards a dance studio for children with physical and mental disabilities.
"We were never able to have kids because of the accident," Lily admits. As she lifts a tissue to her eye, her arm shakes violently as if giving way to a tremendous amount of weight. "This way, it’s like we had lots of them and we're doing something that can help them and make a difference in their lives."
They've already picked out a building, had it renovated and have staff lined up to take on this task.
Lily smiles as she thinks about the advertising they've done around her neighborhood and the class. "I'll be sitting in on many of the classes, maybe trying to participate from my wheel chair. I just want these kids to see that there's always a way to make a situation worthwhile. Hopefully I can even build my strength because right now you can see that it’s not so good."
They hope to open the school in the coming fall and both say that the inside looks beautiful. But what do other people think of Lily Seligman? Because I’m not always at work she must have gone through someone else’s line, right?
“Of course I recognize Lily Seligman!”
Another employee of Savers, Jaiden Bissanette, smiles widely as she recalls her first encounter with Lily.
“She was funny. She came in smiling and asked if I could help her find something. When I asked what she needed she said ‘Your smile. Life could be a little worse’. When I smiled for her she said ‘Right then, now show me to the bathroom.’ I couldn’t help but laugh.
And even now, Jaiden is still laughing.
“She’s a character which makes her a great person to have in here. She’s also the only person who I don’t mind cleaning up after.”
The others on register grin as if they know what she’s talking about and it’s become astonishingly clear that Lily is not only strong willed, but she’s also hard-headed and loved for that very reason. She makes an impression wherever she goes and tends to make people’s days, even after the long, hard road she has traveled in the last 30 years.
“Oh goodness no!” Lily laughs as I ask my final question. “Of course I like helping people, but for you younger people I like to raise a little hell first. I find that it makes me more likable!”
Her husband Martin shrugs as I turn to him.
“Don’t look at me. She’s always been that way to me.”
Soft News Questions
Lily S.-
Who was Lily Seligman before she had the body braces?
What caused the need to wear the body braces?
What was it like?
How long was the recovery time?
How has it impacted your life?
Who's idea was it to open the school.
Martin S.-
What struggles has Lily faced?
How does this impact you?
What do you do to manage these problems?
Who's idea was it to open the school?
Employees at Savers-
What do you think of Lily?
What do you think happened to her?
Who was Lily Seligman before she had the body braces?
What caused the need to wear the body braces?
What was it like?
How long was the recovery time?
How has it impacted your life?
Who's idea was it to open the school.
Martin S.-
What struggles has Lily faced?
How does this impact you?
What do you do to manage these problems?
Who's idea was it to open the school?
Employees at Savers-
What do you think of Lily?
What do you think happened to her?
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