Stephanie Callfas

Heroes in the Entertainment Industry

2008-06-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

When looking at what a hero is what do people see? Strong, manly, courageous, bold, smart are just a start at a list of the ways the media portrays heroes. When little kids are asked to reveal their heroes they say people like, superstars other than people that have made a difference in our world. The media makes heroes almost seem impossible for someone in real life to be viewed as. I believe the reason why the entertainment business makes heroes so amazing is because really no one could ever be like them, so people like to see them on TV, making it so real people have so imaginary hero to look to.

Second Guest Speaker

2008-06-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd guess speaker was a nice change on the topic of video. I had no idea the impact that real vs. paid actors have on their audiences. After he presented I was encouraged to go and watch foreign films and see the differences between American and foreign films.

The Magazine Assignment

2008-05-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

My first magazine that I looked at was The New Yorker. I would say that it would attract upper class educated possibly more liberal people. I could tell this by the artsy design, the advertisements for expensive companies ect. I would not read this on a regular basis, maybe at times just to see what’s going on with it. I could see college professors reading it. The article that I read was titled Bad Dog by Larry Doyle in the May 12th 2008 magazine. This article was about a man and his dog's relationship. The weird thing about this article was the fact that he was talking about the dog like he was human and could talk and converse with other people. It was kind of weird and I did not really get it. At the end the dog responded with saying that they were best friends rather then his pet. I think that this was a joke...
The next magazine I looked at was The Nation. This was kind of the same lines as The New Yorker. It looked at though it was aimed for adults and the educated. It was more of the world talk other than just United States of America. I though feel like i could read this magazine on a regular basis and feel like it would be understood rather than The New Yorker. The article that I read was titled, "Who can stop the War" by Alexander Cockburn. The article compared the Vietnam War munity with the Iraq war and how people are not really in control like they were back in the day, but now this is congress's war to stop, if bush keeps getting money to fund the war then he is not going to stop because America wants to.
Overall both these magazines were nice to look at for a change other then the trash we see when we are out shopping for food with the family.

Guest Speaker - Steve Jackson

2008-05-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

The guest speaker, Steve Jackson on Wednesday was interesting to listen to. His lecture on Subjective truth was nice to hear about concerning the fact that I didn’t realize how important truth telling is in Communications. The Rashomon effect was new to me, the colliding views of people is a point we need to pay attention to. It’s good to know terms like the ones he talked about. It is nice to listen to someone different especially from another state; we can see how his views are different from ours.

The Popes Visit

2008-05-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in the United States on Tuesday afternoon to start the six-day, two-city journey that will take him from the White House to the halls of the United Nations. His journey throughout the United States was very meaningful and important. He focused his speeches on the importance of the topics of abortion and moral values. He stressed the concern he had with the church molestation, and states his ways of dealing with them. He met with some of the victims and said that it is better to have few great heads of the church rather than a lot of bad ones. I also read though some Catholics were disappointed with his time here in the United States, because they said they wanted more action rather than talk about change in the Church.

Extra Credit Panel

2008-05-16T08:49:00.003-07:00

I got a lot out of the extra credit panel on Tuesday in the theatre. When talking to Scott, the communication grad, I asked a lot of questions and he was able to answer all of them. It was very helpful to hear the success these Central Grads have accomplished. It gives me hope that going to school really pays off. I visited Scott's website, and found that what we are learning today in our Com 201 class is very helpful for our future. The importance of social media is huge.

Meaningful Music

2008-05-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Bob Marley- Is This Love

This was the song that I played for the class. It has meaning to me because it gives hope about love, and makes it sound so beautiful. I could only hope that some day I will have these feelings for someone else and they too for me. This is a wonderful song that puts a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. I believe that everyone should hear the messages Bob Marley sends out with his music they are the words of hope and love and equality for everyone. here are his lyrics:
I wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
Well be together with a roof right over our heads;
Well share the shelter of my single bed;
Well share the same room, yeah! - for jah provide the bread
Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
Is this love - is this love - is this love -
Is this love that Im feelin?
I wanna know - wanna know - wanna know now!
I got to know - got to know - got to know now!
I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i - Im willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!

Wangari Maathai

2008-05-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

Wangari Maathai was born on April 1st 1940 she is currently 68. She is an environmental and political activist, and started the Green Belt Movement in 1977. She is a member of the Kenya parliament, and was the first African Woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to the environment. She has come to be affectionately called "Tree Woman" or "The Tree Mother of Africa." Since then, she has been increasingly active on both environmental and women's issues. She has won a number of awards though out her life including: 1991 Goldman Environmental Prize, and in 2007 the World Citizenship award. She is a very successful woman with one billion trees planted in 2007 and she is going for another billion for the year 2008.

Reply to the NYT Torture article

2008-05-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor,
I feel like this is no surprise that the decisions to torture went as high up in the government as it did. I believe that if some military general approached George Bush and presented a situation regarding strategies of getting information about special opps in Iraq Bush would let it go. What I mean is if the general told Bush about some torture methods going on then I feel that Bush would not think anything of it and ok it and turn his head the other way. I guarantee you that Bush wasn’t concerned about the laws regarding torture he most likely heard his army intelligence had a way to get information out I’m sure he wasn’t really concerned on how it was done. Once the word got out about the prisoners being mistreated then I’m sure he then took notice to it and took care of the situation. But really if the president was really involved which we are being informed that he was I’m sure he had other things at the time he thought was more important.

Women & Men In Ads

2008-04-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

When looking through magazines all I see is sexy looking woman, and all American sexual men. It sickens me to think that this is what America is all about, looking sexy and being perfect. The ad that I found was in Cosmopolitan magazine, it is a advertisement for a perfume. The model for the picture is half way sitting on a chair in the most seductive way possible. Her legs are slightly open and her mouth is slightly pushed out and open. She is in a skimpy outfit showing her legs and part of her breasts. I would have no idea she was selling this product if it wasn’t for the picture of the perfume on the lower bottom half. I feel like the ad is selling sex! I get that if you use this perfume then you can be sexy like the model and men would love you and want to sleep with you. I feel that majority of ads are like this. It is sad to think that is what it comes to now in America to actually sell products. I don’t think it will ever change. I hope some day it becomes a national problem and maybe see some action from our government. It is effecting people more then the media thinks.

All The Presidents Men

2008-04-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

All The Presidents Men

When watching the movie All the Presidents Men I found so many unethical ways of getting information that it was sickening. I loved the movie, and I know that the journalists were doing there job and for good reasons, but I feel that some of there techniques were not fair. Some examples include: pressuring companies to give up records, pressuring people too much ( constant calling or pushy when talking), toying with peoples emotions, going into peoples houses when not wanted, and much much more. They did have good ways of getting information that I guess you as a investigating journalist needs to have. One way is to pry pry pry. I know it is annoying, but knowing your facts and pushing people I guess is a way to get information out of them. I believe that it is a hard job, but I guess someone needs to do it. Or do they?

10 Internet Articles

2008-04-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Clinton, Obama duke it out in decisive primary
Website: CNNPolitics.com
This article was about the importance of Pennsylvania’s vote to the 2008 democratic vote. If Hillary can get a win then she can still try to make a come back on Obama’s lead. After Pennsylvania, it's only two weeks until Indiana and North Carolina hold votes as the primary season rolls on toward its end in June.

Title: Clinton, Obama attack each other for being too negative
Website: CNNPolitics.com
This article talks about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama having not t crossed paths yet during their weekend barnstorming across Pennsylvania, but they have invoked each other's names at virtually every whistle-stop during the final blitz before Tuesday's primary.

Title: McCain releases his taxes, not wife's
Website: CNNPolitics.com
This article talks about how The Democratic National Committee released a statement Friday calling the McCains' lack of transparency troubling and said not releasing Cindy McCain's taxes "raises questions about what he is hiding."

Title: Economy the top worry, but barely affecting votes
Website: YahooNews.com
This article talks about how voters seem to be more concerned with the economy rather then over the war in Iraq. Polls show that 67% of voters are concerned with the economy rather then the 48% being concerned about the war. People calling the economy extremely important lean toward the two Democratic presidential contenders, while those less concerned prefer McCain. The partisan divide helps explain that, as does income.

Title: "WHY CAN'T I JUST EAT MY WAFFLE?"
Website: GOP.com
This article states the response that Obama had to reporters. “Why Won't Obama Just Answer Tough Questions Asked By The Media?
Today, Obama Continued To Dodge Questions From The Media, Responding That He Just Wanted To Eat His Waffle:
When Asked A Question On Foreign Policy, Obama Dodged The Question And Asked, "Why Can't I Just Eat My Waffle?" "Chomping down on sausage and waffles at Glider's Diner in Scranton today, with his Pennsylvania BFF (Sen. Bob Casey) at his side, Obama avoided commenting on former President Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas. Asked by a reporter if he had heard that Carter reported a positive outcome from the meeting, Obama looked sternly at the reporter in question and said, 'Why can't I just eat my waffle?'" (Aswini Anburajan, "'Just Let Me Eat My Waffle'," NBC News' "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.msn.com, 4/21/08)” (GOP.COM)

Title: Clinton, Obama Make Last Pitches To Pennsylvania
Website: Washingtonpost.com
This article talks about the closing arguments the two democratic candidates made today in Pennsylvania. This of course winding down a nearly two-month campaign in the state that has done little to bring clarity to the Democratic presidential contest.

Title: McCain Campaigns in 'Forgotten Places'
Website: Washingtonpost.com
This article talks about the effort that John McCain is making to visit ‘Forgotten Places’ in the United States. He states “"There must be no forgotten places in America, whether they have been ignored for long years by the sins of indifference and injustice, or have been left behind as the world grew smaller and more economically interdependent," (Washington Post)

Title: Is Obama JFK or Adlai Stevenson?
Website: RealClearPolitics.com
This article talks about the question of Obama’s personality. Some people are comparing him to JFK or Adlai Stevenson. This article states that When Obama is in control of his own image, his moments of detachment and irony are celebrated as bearing remarkable similarities to those of the cool, shrewd and confident JFK, who won in 1960. When doubts about Obama creep in, those same characteristics are disparaged for resembling the diffidence and distance of Stevenson, who lost in 1952 and 1956. People are wondering what one is going to come out if he becomes president.

Title: McCain Questions Obama's Relationship with Ayers
Website: RealClearPolitics.com
This was a youtube video of Sen, John McCain being interviewed by a ABC News Host about relationships that Obama has with William Ayers. This morning on "This Week," John McCain said that Barack Obama's relationship with William Ayers should be called into question. He then addresses questions over his receiving the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee.

Title: Clinton Comments on Debate; "He Spent All Day Yesterday Complaining"
Website: RealClearPolitics.com
Wow this video was amazingly real... this video is a clip of Hillary Clinton talking to Fox News about how Obama needs to stop complaining about the debate questions, and man up, because the White House is nothing compared to this questions, she says is way more harder. She also says if he can’t handle 90 min of questions then how is he going to handle the United States of America.

Diversity Wheel

2008-04-17T19:51:00.001-07:00

Diversity Wheel

I feel the aspects that weigh most on developing my point of view would have to be gender, education, and geography.

I was raised by my single mother with my little sister; it was just us three in the household. I feel that gender is huge issue the effects my point of view. I never really grew up around males, so I know that I have a disadvantage when it comes to knowing the environment I guess. I also feel being a female I will look at situations more with emotion over what males tend to steer away from. When it comes to my education I feel that since I am a college student I feel I have a point of view that everyone is as educated as me. Which I know is not true, but I feel that the majority of people that surround me are around the same level of education as I am. The fact that I grew up in the North West I feel that affects my points of view with geography. I know that I may look at certain topics more then if I grew up on the East Coast. I will view things differently, maybe have a greater knowledge of the way of life of the North West rather than what is going on with the East side. Overall I feel that everyone has to be open minded about everything and take all sides to situations, and stories. I feel that I do a good job at that.

Reflective Question April 7th

2008-04-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

The more you read the newspaper, the more familiar you become with the stories that continue form day to day. So here’s a list of concepts, people, places etc. that are fundamental to the ongoing stories. Define them. Tell why its’ news, and if appropriate, how it connects to you.

1. Prime Rate: as reported by the Wall Street Journal's bank survey, is among the most widely used benchmark in setting home equity lines of credit and credit card rates. It is in turn based on the fed funds rate, which is set by the Federal Reserve. The COFI (11th District cost of funds index) is a widely used benchmark for adjustable-rate mortgages. (BankRate.com) as of today the Prime Rate is lower then last month and last year.
2. Tibet: Is a country at the tip of India that has been in exile from China since the 1950’s. There have been protests in China to free Tibet, during the Olympic torch running. This is a huge issue facing relations with China. For example George Bush had a meeting with the Dali Lama, and China was upset by the ‘friendly’ meeting and is not so happy with the United States making the Tibet situation ‘Ok’.
3. Colombia Trade Agreement: the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA), a comprehensive agreement that will eliminate tariffs and other barriers to trade in goods and services between the United States and Colombia.
4. Iraqi Military: A professional Iraqi army is being created to replace Saddam's army with a professional force for maintaining peace and stability. The New Iraqi Army's primary responsibilities would be for border protection, securing roads and installations, and clearing mines and unexploded bombs left over from the war. Militia: The main community army fighting against the Americans and the Iraqi Military. U.S. Military: The United States armed forces. Green Zone: The International Zone is commonly referred to as the "Ultimate Gated Community" due to the numerous armed checkpoints, coils of razor wire, chain link fences, and the fact it is surrounded by "T-Walls" (reinforced and blast-proof concrete slabs).

5. Benedict XVI: Benedict XVI was elected the Catholic church's 265th pope on April 19, 2005, after the death of his popular and long-serving predecessor, John Paul II.

10 Radio Stories

2008-04-09T19:07:00.001-07:00

Rush Limbaugh

• Chances Hillary steals the nomination rises from 20% to 24%.
• A Pennsylvania Republican says Rush's criticism of Obama and Rev. Wright made him switch to Democrat.
• The liberal New Republic reports that Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a Muslim, which may explain a lot -- if true. Clintonista Lanny Davis demands Obama come clean on Wright in an op-ed. Obama operatives call for "more white people" at a rally. Plus, Obama dumps a superdelegate for saying "monkeys."
• Obama-backing Sen. Jay Rockefeller apologized for his false and insulting claim that McCain dropped laser-guided bombs on innocents in Vietnam. McCain said he's never heard this rhetoric before.
• Neither Hillary nor Obama will get out of Iraq. They dropped their calls for "timetables" and Get Out Now!

NPR
• The speaker was talking about how left Obama was and how he is more left then they have ever seen a president
• As Gen. David Petraeus answered questions from a Senate panel about the status of the war in Iraq, Sen. Hillary Clinton suggested it's time "to begin an orderly process of withdrawing troops." The Democratic presidential hopeful discusses her approach to Iraq and her push to woo superdelegates with Michele Norris.
• Amid one of the most closely contested and carefully watched elections in years, top reporters, editors and columnists talk about the media's role in presidential campaigns. Neal Conan hosts a discussion about politics and journalism before a live audience at the Newseum, Washington, D.C.'s new museum of media and reporting.
• Shepard Fairey made a poster of Barack Obama, Neither did Fairey expect to make money off the political move. When he put several hundred posters he'd signed up for sale at his Web site for $45 a pop, they all sold out within minutes.
• A speaker talks about having to cover McCain’s campaign because everyone else didn’t want to take it; she states that it was an experience. She thought that he was going to drop out not win the Republican candidate

Newspaper Article Sources

2008-04-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Title: U.S. and Iraqis Battle Militias to End Attacks
By: Eric Goode and Michael Gordon
This article was about the attacks going on in the Green Zone in Baghdad on Sunday. The sources were as follows:
Democratic Critics
Republicans
The Council
Iraqi Officials
General Hammond
General Abud
Lt. Col. Dan Barnett, the Squadrons commander
Employee
Mohammed Razak
Ahmed Fadam , Stephen Farrell, Qais Mizher and employees of The New York Times contributed reporting.

I feel like some of these sources are credible, ones such as the General Hammond, General Abud, Lt. Col. Dan Barnett, the Squadrons commander, and Mohammed Razak. I more likely feel these sources are legit because of the fact they say specific names of the people giving the information. The other ones which include; the Republicans, Democratic Critics, Iraqi Officials, and an employee seen a little less like I would know for sure that the sources are correct. It just generalizes the sources.

10 Newspaper Stories

2008-04-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

Title: Presidential hopefuls tried brief alliance
Seattle Times: Monday March 31st 2008
By: Paul Kane
This article was about the brief work John McCain and Barack Obama attempted to do together. Obama approached McCain to propose that the two work together on a lobbying and ethic-reform bill. Instead, what began as a promising collaboration collapsed after barely a week. They both accused each other of wrong doing, and it has been a touchy subject ever since.

Title: Obama: Don’t fret over long race.
Seattle Times: Monday March 31st 2008
Campaign Digest
This article talks about the speech that Barack Obama made in Penn State’s capital lawn, on Sunday. He said not to worry about the long and drawn out fight for the Democratic presidential nomination. He says, “I am absolutely confident that when this primary season is over, Democrats will be united”

Title: Former President on long race: “Chill out”
Seattle Times: Monday March 31st 2008
Campaign Digest
This article also talks about the concern for the long drawn out democratic race. This time though it is Bill Clinton who spoke to the issue. He stated, “We are going to win this election if we just chill out and let everybody have their say.”

Title: Female supporters fight push for Clinton to quit presidential race
Seattle Post Intelligencer: Monday March 31st 2008
By: Beth Fouhy
This article is about the concern with pressure on Hillary Clinton to drop out of the presidential race. Her female supporters are voicing their opinions about the race and how they think that it would be very bad for her to drop out. Others are saying that she can in no time catch up with Obama. “My e-mail is bursting with women who are furious, and it’s grown in the last week.” Ann Lewis, Clinton’s director of women’s outreach.

Title: Texas Caucus vote drags on
Seattle Post Intelligencer: Monday March 31st 2008
Campaign Countdown
This article explains the contest between Obama and Clinton over Texas. The article informs us that the counting from Saturday’s caucuses dragged onto Sunday. Obama team predicts a win, even though Clinton won the popular primary balloting on March 4th.

Title: With economy at top of list of concerns, presidential hopefuls propose rival plans
Seattle Post Intelligencer: Monday March 31st 2008
By: Tom Raum
This article is about the great ‘economy’ issue. The article talks about how the two democrats are calling for a more active role for the U.S. government to protect individuals. McCain is echoing standard GOP dogma of protecting markets and opposing bailouts.

Title: McCain visits McCain airfield
Seattle Post Intelligencer: Monday March 31st 2008
Campaign Countdown
This article talks about John McCain’s visit to the air show at the airfield named after his grandfather. The article also talked briefly about his past as a Navy flight instructor at the field. He quotes, “I’m just here to see the air show, so its hard for me to get political.”

Title: Enough distractions. Let’s talk about me.
The New York Times: Monday March 31st 2008
By Michael Cooper
This article was about Senator John McCain wanting to reach out to the people though his life story. Robert M. Shrum a democratic consultant says, “People are not electing a set of issue positions, they are electing a person.” The tour will start at McCain airfield. Of course on the other side the democrats plan to focus the people not on his biography, but on his record and positions.

Title: New Chance to Discuss Mixed Race
The New York Times: Monday March 31st 2008
By Mireya Navarro
This article is about Barack Obama’s speech he made about race in Philadelphia. He touched on issues about racial divides, and being accepted. Esther John quotes, “I think Barack Obama is going to bring these deeply American stories to the forefront.” This article also touches the subjects of mixed identity, and mixed race families and what people feel toward race.

Title: Democrats’ Turmoil Tests Party’s Low-Key Leader
The New York Times: April 1, 2008
By By Adam Nagourney
This article was about the concern in the Democratic presidential race that has presented a sharp test of Howard Dean's low-profile approach to leading the Democratic National Committee. Calls from Democrats asking for him to take a more aggressive role in defusing the threat of a nomination fight.

Culture & Communication

2008-03-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

In the textbook, “Media and Culture”, culture is defined as “The symbols of expression that individuals, groups, and societies use to make sense of daily life and to articulate their values.” Pretty much the ways that people live their lives. Culture is everywhere, and everyone has their own. Your culture determines who you are. Communication is a way of conveying information and meaning between two or more people .The way that culture and communication are related are by the fact that depending on the a persons culture is going to determine how that person communicates, and or what they choose to communicate. Communication is a very important key in any culture, and there are many different types of ways of communication. Television, internet, telephone, newspapers, and magazines are all different types of ways people can communicate in their different cultures.