Blog 14/Part A
1. The stated purpose of MEMRI is to bridge the language gap between the west - where few speak Arabic - and the Middle East, by "providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew media." This however is different than the purpose that Whitaker claims to expose, which is expose its Israeli bias. MEMRIs offices are in Washington, London, Berlin, and Jerusalem.
2. A former employee of MEMRI claims that the secrecy is to protect its current members, particularly from suicide bombers. The author thinks that the precautions imply the institution is not as unbiased as it claims, for they are excessive for an organization merely trying to bridge the cultural gap.
3. Whitaker believes MEMRI is biased because, primarily, it is staffed almost solely by Israelis, particularly ex-military Israelis. It translates stories that paint a negative view of Arab character and directly or indirectly further Israel's cause--often through alienating the Western world by painting an extreme but fragmentary picture of Arabic views. It has not, according to Whitaker, published translations from Hebrew media. It also has attributed independent, extremist views to the Saudi government.
4. The Hudson Institute portrays itself as an unbiased think tank, yet it is supported by foundations that are known for supporting other conservative movements. Prior to 911, the Institute focused primarily on domestic policies, but after 911, it shifted the focus of its research to international and particularly Middle Eastern politics. Perle is known in Washington as the, "Prince of Darkness," and has been strongly associated with the Bush Administration's Iraq War policy. He is known also for his criticism of Saudi Arabia and support of Israel.
5. Yes. He used to be a member of an exiled group opposed to the Iraqi government, and he had personal interest as well. When he first made the claim, he was trying to gain "political asylum" in the U.S.
6. N/A (accidently leaving out the number that ancient Judaism considers a symbol of man's imperfection could possibly be inferred as bias.....OR maybe it's just ironic. )
7. The first of the two "propaganda successes," was the translation describing an Israeli festival in which the Israelis supposedly eat the blood of their enemies' children. This showed the author of the original article to be biased and uneducated, relying on an unverified myth. The key reason this was a "success," is that MEMRI claimed that the Saudi government published the story while it was in fact published in an independent paper.
8. MEMRI's objective mission is being exploited because there are few people in the Western world who speak the Middle Eastern languages, and so they are not under as much scrutiny and can print what they like. People likewise (are supposed to) trust MEMRI as an objective organization, and so take the biased reports as being truth--thus skewing reality and stirring up Western favor for the Israeli cause. This is the reason why their mission is exploited, in fact. The organization has strong Israeli leanings, and so use the translations as a tool to negatively influence Western perception of Arabs.
9. The Arab population could use MEMRI's tactics themselves, and translate balanced articles to offset MEMRI's more extreme ones.
MEMRI itself could improve its image by hiring staff that represent a more diverse background and political agenda, printing more balanced sections/or at least the entire article of the extreme portions concerning Arabic publications, and translating a balanced cross-section of Israeli papers as well.
Blog 14/PART B:
1. CNN
(delegates)
Obama 1,520
Clinton 1,424
McCain 1,289
Huckabee 267
2. New York Times
(delegates)
Obama 1,456.5
Clinton 1,370
McCain 1,110
Huckabee 225
3. Chicago Tribune
(delegates)
Obama 1,567
Clinton 1,462
McCain 1,253
Huckabee 271
4. LA Times
(delegates)
Obama 1,567
Clinton 1,462
McCain 1,253
Huckabee 271
5. USA Today
(delegates)
Obama 1567
Clinton 1462
McCain 1253
Huckabee 271
6. Washington Post
(Presidential Nomination)
Obama 44%
Clinton 48%
McCain 63%
Huckabee 20%
7. Rasmussen Reports
(Presidential Nomination}
Obama 43%
Clinton 48%
McCain 52%
Huckabee not listed
8. Fox News
(Presidential Nomination)
Obama 46.2%
Clinton 44.8%
McCain 56.7%
Huckabee 26.3%
Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and the New York Times all seemed to get their stats from the AP. Washington Post, Fox News, and Rasmussen all had slightly differing statistics, and Clinton seemed to score markedly lower on Fox News, getting 44.8% as averse to the other sites 48%. In fact, Fox News presented the greatest discrepancy between the other sites, for Clinton's stats were lower and Obama's higher than on both Washington Post or the Rasmussen Reports. All of the statistics New York Times presented were lower than those on the other sites. CNN on the other hand gave McCain a higher percentage than what was listed on the other sites. It was interesting to note that Huckabee was not listed - an "x" by his name - in the Rasmusen Reports, while McCain received the lowest stats their as well. All in all, there were many, though relatively small, discrepancies between the news sites.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
CLEARLY-LABELED ASSIGNMENT 11
1.
"Anybody here a bike rider???"
Story Ideas: The benefits of commuting on bike--health, environmental, parking--versus the inconvenience of commuting on bike, such as flat tires, inclement weather, and spandex.
OR: Commuting on bike: the Dutch way of life. Explore mentalities, city systems, why you see elderly men in business suits commuting on bike over there compared to our mental picture of college-students or people in neon spandex. Could be compared to California commuting habits
Fiction Idea (:
A Dutch man in his late-50s has recently lost his wife. Although they separated 2 years previous, he is devastated. He tries to cope by exploring Holland via bicycle, and early-on decides to write a guide to the intercity bike paths that includes the best places to stop for gebakje and koffie (Dutch pastries and coffee,) as well as brief descriptions of the best pubs and historical sites. He unwittingly gravitates toward the places that he spent time with his late wife. The written journey through Holland parallels the story of how he met his wife, their courtship, the different cities they visited through the years as they raised 2 children together, and their late separation.
Could culminate in:
A revelation of how alive she really is to him, despite the fact that she's no longer physically alive, and despite the misunderstanding that shadowed the last few years they were together. "I see her in the flowers of the Bloemstraat. In the cafes shadowing the canal. In Delft's squares, and Utrecht's corners, and Amsterdam's busy markets and hollow cathedrals." Could include his realization that the history he has been writing actually has been about his life with her--in a symbolic way--or not.
OR:
A physical condition renders him unable to bike. But he's so attached to the project that he can't bear to give it up. So he goes to the Hostel Jordaan in Amsterdam. "Anybody here a bike rider?" Meets a young American girl who has recently lost her Dutch aunt to cancer and is in Holland over the summer with her aunt's diary trying to "discover" her. The aunt lived in Holland before the girl was born. She volunteers to take him through the cities, (they have bike-"taxis" there, but hiring one would be expensive,) to help him finish his book. She cancels her return trip, and ends up spending several months in Holland, since he has offered bed-and-board.
Character development: She starts out bitter and frustrated with her life and her aunt's death; he is reluctant to talk about he and his late wife's problems, and won't even mention that they were separated. They both "discover" their dead loved-ones in the journey through the cities, and open up and become friends/begin to heal in the process.
Note: would have to be handled carefully to not be cliche and/or sickly-sweet
(And yes: I always try to ground my writings in something personal....)
2.
"I'm majoring in philosophy....it will help me go in to my field...."
"Oh! What field are you going in to?"
"I'm going to rule the world."
Could culminate in:
A revelation of how alive she really is to him, despite the fact that she's no longer physically alive, and despite the misunderstanding that shadowed the last few years they were together. "I see her in the flowers of the Bloemstraat. In the cafes shadowing the canal. In Delft's squares, and Utrecht's corners, and Amsterdam's busy markets and hollow cathedrals." Could include his realization that the history he has been writing actually has been about his life with her--in a symbolic way--or not.
OR:
A physical condition renders him unable to bike. But he's so attached to the project that he can't bear to give it up. So he goes to the Hostel Jordaan in Amsterdam. "Anybody here a bike rider?" Meets a young American girl who has recently lost her Dutch aunt to cancer and is in Holland over the summer with her aunt's diary trying to "discover" her. The aunt lived in Holland before the girl was born. She volunteers to take him through the cities, (they have bike-"taxis" there, but hiring one would be expensive,) to help him finish his book. She cancels her return trip, and ends up spending several months in Holland, since he has offered bed-and-board.
Character development: She starts out bitter and frustrated with her life and her aunt's death; he is reluctant to talk about he and his late wife's problems, and won't even mention that they were separated. They both "discover" their dead loved-ones in the journey through the cities, and open up and become friends/begin to heal in the process.
Note: would have to be handled carefully to not be cliche and/or sickly-sweet
(And yes: I always try to ground my writings in something personal....)
2.
"I'm majoring in philosophy....it will help me go in to my field...."
"Oh! What field are you going in to?"
"I'm going to rule the world."
Story Ideas:
Why students major in what they major in. Image, jobs, parents, friends, and other influences. Cal Poly specifically or the CSU system overall.
OR: Stereo-typing of majors. Computer-science "nerds" and lazy business majors.
Possible plots:
He's just your average, happy-go-lucky barista. Working his way through school. Partying with the guys. Hitting up Chili Peppers at 3am. Avoiding a clean room or actually reading his textbooks with as much vehemence as the best of his World of Warcraft-playing buddies. With one exception: he actually plans to rule the world. And he'll do anything to get there.
(Unique twists: protagonist applies philosophical theories to everything, from the best way to do laundry to the particular route he plans to take in achieving world domination.
Note: Must be handled very seriously and matter-of-factly to achieve the full ludicrous effect. Also, it would have to be handled very carefully and with enough attention to detail/character development that it could stand on its own as a tale about college life.)
3.
"...Is that really bad? But it's for a manager's position, which has a lot more pay for not as many hours. I don't know.....I'm nervous now. Really nervous. It wouldn't be good. It would be bad. I don't know...I'd get in trouble. I think i'm going to go in to the store across this store and try and look for....something."
Story ideas: Shifting morals in the corporate world.
OR: "How-To" tips for getting a job when you get out of school. (Focus audience the college-aged crowd.)
OR: Ways we deal with stress: shopping, denial, sugar, etc. Compare to ways we SHOULD deal with stress: nutrition, sleep, friends, quiet time, and exercise.
Possible plots:
He's an English major whose been out of school for 6 months. He can't find a "real" job, and has had to move back in with his Reformed Baptist parents who live in downtown San Luis Obispo. His little sister's already found a position with an editor in San Francisco. His girlfriend's a Type-A mechanical engineering junior who doesn't get why he can't find work. OR why he majored in English in the first place. Story opens with her trying to convince him over the phone to go back to school: something he desperately doesn't want to do. His rebuttal is that he has the chance to get a manager's position at Downtown Brew, but he'd have to "edit" his birth certificate to put him over 21.
4.
"Look for me in 14 or so years running under the Clothing-Is-Optional party."
Story Idea: Candidates' shifting moral base: what lengths politicians will go to to appeal to the masses
Possible Plot:
He didn't want to go to Harvard. He doesn't want anything to do with politics. But as the only son of a line of famous senators, there isn't much chance to do anything else. At least, not while his parents are alive. Or know what continent he is on. The 17-year-old first-year Harvard student decides to "turn off" his Type-A nature and learn how to be a gracefully incompetent and barely average student. Leave his laundry on the floor; actually--gasp--skip a few classes. Hopefully then his parents will give up on him. The problem is, he's not just fighting his parents: he's fighting his own personality.
5.
"Um. I don't know. Cuz that's what they said that they were looking for. I don't know. It seemed like it went really well. It was really short and...ya.... Which was wierd. You know what I mean?.... I'm all nervous now! Now I'm thinking of everything I did! Now I'm thinking I did it all wrong."
Story Ideas: Suggestions for a successful interview. What's good; what's bad; what's in-between. What bosses are looking for, from wardrobe to attitude to word choice.
OR: Cell phone etiquette in public places....
Possible plot:
Definitely a neurotic. A neurotic, out-of-work, 20-something-year-old therapist. With a passion for collecting orchids and cooking Italian food. Her life collides with that of a returning Iraq-war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder when the 24-year-old veteran responds to the therapist's online ad. The therapist puts on a professional front with her clients, and has been successful in fooling them.... until she meets the veteran. He sees through her ruse, picks up on her neuroticism, but can't afford a "real" therapist and promised his girlfriend he'd see one; the therapist can't afford to drop him. He ends up counseling the therapist using the same experiences in Iraq that bothered him--which also helps him work through them. He also drops the pushy girlfriend (somewhat helped by her discovery that the therapist is female.) At his suggestion, the therapist starts a nursery for rare flowers and finally puts her neurotic attention to detail to good use.
Romance optional.
Monday, February 25, 2008
CLEARLY-LABELED BLOG 10
I: Starbucks:
Not so easy to navigate. PR didn't seem very eager to disclose how much they make
1.
Starbucks Media Relations
Valerie O’Neil, 206-318-7100
2.
Top Executive (and co-founder) Howard Schultz
Headquarters Address: 2401 Utah Avenue South. Seattle WA.
3.
Starbucks talks ALOT about their fair-trade, earth-friendly practices and health food moves such as the shift to 2% milk and ban of trans fats in their pastries. They have a lot to combat for they generally have a negative image in both of those areas--both as a huge corporation eating up the little organic-type coffee shops, and the fact that most of their product is high in sugar/fat. Also noted a lot are expansion in to other countries, both from the production and commercial angle, and the introduction of new food items/beverages
4.
"Consolidated net revenues of $2.3 billion, an increase of 20 percent. Net earnings of $151 million, an increase of 18 percent"
5.
6.
public: www.starbucks.com
media: http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/press.asp
II: BMW:
Fairly easy to find information. Nice, clean-cut site with information readily available
1.
Andrew Cutler / Telephone: 201-307-3784
2.
Dr. - Ing. Norbert Reithofer
Chairman of the Board of Management
BMW of North America, LLC
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675
3. International racing events and car shows/reviews on new models
4. 2007 "sales revenue up by 14.3% to euro 56,018 million"
5.
6.
Not so easy to navigate. PR didn't seem very eager to disclose how much they make
1.
Starbucks Media Relations
Valerie O’Neil, 206-318-7100
2.
Top Executive (and co-founder) Howard Schultz
Headquarters Address: 2401 Utah Avenue South. Seattle WA.
3.
Starbucks talks ALOT about their fair-trade, earth-friendly practices and health food moves such as the shift to 2% milk and ban of trans fats in their pastries. They have a lot to combat for they generally have a negative image in both of those areas--both as a huge corporation eating up the little organic-type coffee shops, and the fact that most of their product is high in sugar/fat. Also noted a lot are expansion in to other countries, both from the production and commercial angle, and the introduction of new food items/beverages
4.
"Consolidated net revenues of $2.3 billion, an increase of 20 percent. Net earnings of $151 million, an increase of 18 percent"
5.
6.
public: www.starbucks.com
media: http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/press.asp
II: BMW:
Fairly easy to find information. Nice, clean-cut site with information readily available
1.
Andrew Cutler / Telephone: 201-307-3784
2.
Dr. - Ing. Norbert Reithofer
Chairman of the Board of Management
BMW of North America, LLC
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675
3. International racing events and car shows/reviews on new models
4. 2007 "sales revenue up by 14.3% to euro 56,018 million"
5.
6.public: www.bmw.com
media: http://www.press.bmw.com/pressclub/us02.nsf
III: Peets Coffee and Tea
An amazing site. It was simple to find the necessary information, even compared to the clean-cut but slightly complex BMW site (though that matches its image fairly well...)
1. Patsy Barich / Phone 415.848.8114
2.
Doug Welsh, "Vice President of Coffee"
Headquarters Address: 1400 Park Ave/ Emeryville, CA 94608
3. Primarily quarterly earning reports, but also company expansion and conferences, and introduction of new products and beverages
4. "Reports net revenue of $70.9 million, an increase of 17.7% versus last
year"
5.
media: http://www.press.bmw.com/pressclub/us02.nsf
III: Peets Coffee and Tea
An amazing site. It was simple to find the necessary information, even compared to the clean-cut but slightly complex BMW site (though that matches its image fairly well...)
1. Patsy Barich / Phone 415.848.8114
2.
Doug Welsh, "Vice President of Coffee"
Headquarters Address: 1400 Park Ave/ Emeryville, CA 94608
3. Primarily quarterly earning reports, but also company expansion and conferences, and introduction of new products and beverages
4. "Reports net revenue of $70.9 million, an increase of 17.7% versus last
year"
5.
6.
public: www.peets.com
media: http://investor.peets.com/releases.cfm
IV: Apple:
Fairly easy to navigate, though not as simple as Peets
1.
Steve Dowling, Director of Corporate PR/ Telephone: (408) 974-1896
2.
Daniel Cooperman, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Headquarters Address: 1 Infinite Loop/ Cupertino, CA 95014
3.LOTS of information about new products from software to laptops to updates. Also, releases about their quarterly reports
4. Apple "generated $24 billion in revenue and $3.5 billion in net income in fiscal 2007"
5.
6.
public: www.peets.com
media: http://investor.peets.com/releases.cfm
IV: Apple:
Fairly easy to navigate, though not as simple as Peets
1.
Steve Dowling, Director of Corporate PR/ Telephone: (408) 974-1896
2.
Daniel Cooperman, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Headquarters Address: 1 Infinite Loop/ Cupertino, CA 95014
3.LOTS of information about new products from software to laptops to updates. Also, releases about their quarterly reports
4. Apple "generated $24 billion in revenue and $3.5 billion in net income in fiscal 2007"
5.
6.public: www.apple.com
media: http://www.apple.com/pr/
V: Ahold (Dutch Company/owner of Albert Heijn chain stores):
The information was all simple to find. Easy-to-navigate site.
1.
Caro Bamforth, Director Media Relations / Phone:+31(0)20 509 53 43
2.
John Rishton, President and Chief Executive Officer
Address: Piet Heinkade 167 - 173 / 1019 GM Amsterdam / The Netherlands
3. There are a lot of press releases on Ahold's "share buy back program," a goal released August 2007 to buy back 1billion euro worth of Ahold's shares. There are also many press releases about their chains in countries such as the U.S. and Poland
4.
For 2007: "Consolidated net sales of €28.2 billion were 1.2% higher
compared to 2006. At constant exchange rates, consolidated net sales were up 6.1%"
5.
media: http://www.apple.com/pr/
V: Ahold (Dutch Company/owner of Albert Heijn chain stores):
The information was all simple to find. Easy-to-navigate site.
1.
Caro Bamforth, Director Media Relations / Phone:+31(0)20 509 53 43
2.
John Rishton, President and Chief Executive Officer
Address: Piet Heinkade 167 - 173 / 1019 GM Amsterdam / The Netherlands
3. There are a lot of press releases on Ahold's "share buy back program," a goal released August 2007 to buy back 1billion euro worth of Ahold's shares. There are also many press releases about their chains in countries such as the U.S. and Poland
4.
For 2007: "Consolidated net sales of €28.2 billion were 1.2% higher
compared to 2006. At constant exchange rates, consolidated net sales were up 6.1%"
5.
6.
public: http://www.ahold.com/
media: http://www.ahold.com/page/44.aspx
public: http://www.ahold.com/
media: http://www.ahold.com/page/44.aspx
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
CLEARLY LABELED Blog 9B
(What i desperately want to name the)
"SOUND OF SILENCE"
(but something in my psyche prevents me)
Scattering gravel. Crunching, grinding, scattering gravel. I break. Hard. The sound of flying gravel drowns out the moaning of the ocean for a brief second. The automatic windows squeak unwillingly to a close. Click of the key in the ignition; rattle of the keychain going around my neck; hoodie rustling over my head. I slam the car door, but the sound is insignificant in the greater stillness of the dunes. A few crickets chirp around me, but other than that the sounds are all beach. Beach and forest. "The quiet's amazing," I say under my breath, startled by how edgy my voice sounds in this great, muffled, whispering place. "I wish Brian could hear it."
Silence is an interesting phenomenon. In this case, it isn't silent at all. It just seems silent. Maybe it is the lack of man-made clatter. Of exploding mortars; of jets and helicopters overhead; of sirens and shouted orders, and boots muted by hard sand or clipping sharp across runway cement. The ocean moans to itself. The breeze croons to itself. The crickets chirp, and the branches of the eucalyptus creak and shiver like rustling grass. Random sharp cracks; high-pitched rubbing branches; silver rustle of leaves. And beyond that, the rolling murmur of the ocean.
The trees seem to be stooping down to listen to me as my feet crunch over leaves and crack branches. Man-made clatter. My clumsy sounds are the intruders, and their discord carries more clearly over the dunes than the sound of the distant ocean. Moaning ocean; it sounds unhappy. Crickets hush as my feet crash by. Now I'm crunching iceplant; the sound is crisp and juicy—like the first bite of a Granny Smith, but smaller. Ever onward, toward that plaintive ocean. I can almost hear Brian's voice, when it was still the crackling pitch of a teenage boy, "Come on. Get up sleepyhead. Mom's still asleep." Sound of sizzling eggs; of cartoons in the front room. Now his voice is the voice of a man, and mine cracks as the memory forces a sigh into the whispering breeze. I won't hear his voice again for a long, long time. The breeze sounds sympathetic, soft and rustling as it crawls among the dune grass. The eucalyptus creak behind me; and the crickets are chirping merrily again, now that my footsteps are muffled in the sand.
How different from what Brian must be hearing. I've heard stories of Balad. How it is never quiet. How all you want is a moment of quiet. How the incessant noise is worse than anything—the danger, the loneliness, the heat. All you want is a moment of quiet, or you feel as if you'll go crazy. But it never is quiet. The mortars explode all day and night; the sandstorms sweep through and drown the world in dull and rushing thunder. Loudspeakers blare when the enemy rumble overhead, and the sound of boots slap across the runways, and then even the loudspeakers are drowned out in the roar of their own jets taking off. They thunder like the ocean, but much, much louder.
Soft, slithering sand falling down the dunes. It's a soft sound in every sense. I would not hear it, if I were not thinking so much about Silence. Brian always talked quietly. He liked quiet things, he always said. They help you think deeper. Funny how he speaks so quietly, yet flies so loud a plane. Louder than the ocean during storm.
My feet pad across the sand. It has a different tone now. The padding turns to slapping, then splashing. Gentle murmur of the ocean around me; fills the air. I don't sound like an outsider anymore: the waves drown out my feeble dissonance. Drown out the crickets and the breeze and the trees and my noisome thoughts. It sounds like peace. Brian's across this ocean. Someday again, and here I hold my breath so all I can hear is the ocean. Someday again—I'll pretend it's soon—I'll take Brian to hear my dunes. They sound like Silence.
Monday, February 18, 2008
BLOG 8
Aimee Vasquez
18 February 2008
Journalism 203
Professor B. Teufel
The conflict of February 2003 thrust Darfur into international consciousness, and, for some, conscience; but Sudan's intricate and volatile war, like a knot with many threads, traces back much further (Salih). The war is actually a cumulation of events dating from Sudan's independence from Turco-Egyptian rule in 1956, set against centuries of racial tension (Salih). Further, the war is more nuanced than merely an ethnic clash between African rebel movements and the largely Arabic Sudanese government (Tar). Widening racial polarity and constant war over poorly-distributed, poorly-developed resources are recurring themes in Darfur's turbulent history (Salih). Yet prior to 2003, these conflicts went largely unnoticed (Tar). Deemed a genocide by Congress, and, "the world's worst humanitarian crisis," by the United Nations (Willemse), these terms really only scratch the surface of the conflict in Darfur (Tar; Salih). While the race-factor is a catalyst that turned a recurring conflict over resources into an internationally-famous "genocide", the war itself is rooted in a tangle of religious diversity, shortage of goods, poorly-distributed resources, ill-handled government, ethnic conflict, and Sudanese politic (Tar; Salih).
The diversity of Sudan makes it an unusually unstable region of Africa. It is not only Africa's "largest nation-state," but it is also one of its most diverse (Tar). The population of 28 million is comprised of over 20 linguistic groups, as well as a variety of religions including Islam and Christianity (Tar). Since Sudan's independence from Turco-Egyptian rule, one of the key themes of its troubled history has been domestic conflict (Salih). This domestic conflict escalated to the internationally-renowned clash beginning in 2003 (Tar). The immediate reasons for this clash were the competition of Darfur's two main ethnic groups—Arabic and African—in a struggle over natural resources (Tar). The Sudanese government furthered this conflict by arming the largely Arabic militia, turning a competition over resources in to a venue for long-standing racial hatred (Tar). Two rebel movements, The Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) joined forces to demand the development of the neglected regions of Darfur, as well as equal representation in government (Tar). The rebellion escalated as the Sudanese government met their request not with diplomacy, but with war (Tar). This war began to resemble genocide, for the Sudanese government armed and then lost control of a militia force whose brutal reputation soon earned them the title of the Janjaweed, or "Devil Horseman" (Willemse). This militia is largely comprised of nomadic Arabs, while the rebellion forces are mostly made up of stationary African farmers (Salih). This racial polarization of forces turned a conflict over resources into a war waged largely over race, a venue for centuries of hatred, and which has since earned the term of genocide (Tar).
While tribal conflict in Sudan began to brew centuries ago, the current racial polarization is most relevantly traced back to 1956, when Sudan gained independence from Turco-Egyptian rule (Salih). A side-effect of Sudan's independence was the intensification of Darfur's politically-based ethnic divisions, as well as a shortage of provisions due to concurrent urbanization and population growth (Salih). Sudan's liberation from Turco-Egyptian rule thus brought not stability, but increased conflict to the already volatile region (Salih). The military coups of 1958, 1969, and 1989 further destabilized the region, while racial divides were increasingly drawn along political lines (Salih). The coup of 1989 was largely propagated by the National Islamic Front, or NIF, and led to the current Sudanese government (Willemse; Salih). Darfur's incessant civil war during this period led to the Sudanese government's creation of the Popular Defense Force, or PDF (Salih). The PDF is an extreme Islamic group, which by 1996 outnumbered the regular army (Salih). It was through this increasingly popular use of tribal militias that the current Janjaweed came into being (Willemse; Salih). Janjaweed is a term used to describe the NIF's militias which, as aforesaid, are largely comprised of nomadic Arabic groups (Salih). The creation of the militias led to the increased polarization of ethnic groups, an already hair-trigger relationship due to steadily increasing conflict over Darfur's resources (Salih).
Shortage of resources became yet another source of racial polarization between the nomadic Arab groups and the mostly African farmers (Tar). However, the line from resource shortage to ethnic cleansing bears some explanation. Several prolonged droughts led to an increasingly fierce competition for the region's natural resources (Tar). Darfur's African tribal groups, such as the Fur, the Masalit, and the Zaghawa, are comprised mostly of stationary farmers (Tar). The majority of the Arabic peoples of northern Darfur are shepherds, rearing camels and cattle (Tar). During times of drought and subsequent famine, the Arabic pastoralists ranged further afield, seeking food and water for their livestock (Salih). Although there were many droughts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, a particularly severe drought-induced famine ravaged Darfur between 1984 and 1985, and led to large-scale losses of Arabic livestock (Tar). The Arab pastoralists turned increasingly to grazing their dwindling flocks upon the farmlands of the African settlers (Tar). The African farmers fought back, for grazing animals wreak havoc upon farmland (Tar). As the famine worsened, nomadic Arabic pastoralists' turned increasingly to raiding African farmers as well (Tar). This violent competition between the Arab shepherd groups and African farming communities set up an extremely volatile situation. It only needed the introduction of firearms to edge it on the bloody road to genocide (Tar).
While this competition and the resulting conflict were not unusual for Darfur, the late 1980s conflict would prove unique due to the almost simultaneous introduction of firearms to both the Arabic and the African factions (Tar). By January 1988, "there were at least 50,000 automatic weapons in Darfur—one for every sixteen adult men." (Tar). The introduction of firearms proved to be a match upon dry tender; the "deadly combination," of firearms and a state rife with instability and racial hatred proved to be the first active steps toward the current-day genocide (Tar).
Successive Sudanese political parties furthered Darfur's already volatile state by promising firearms to "loyal," groups (Tar). However, the Sudanese government is largely comprised of the Arabic elite, while the African farmers increasingly and correspondingly aligned themselves with the rebellion (Willemse). The African tribes of the Fur, the Masalit, and the Zaghawa were among the first to align themselves with the rebellion, but as it was increasingly drawn-out in racial lines, smaller African tribes followed suit (Willemse). Perhaps the match to the tender was the discovery of petroleum in 1999 (Tar). While the increase in fortune could have been used to improve the country of Darfur, the Sudanese government instead poured the extra funds in to the military (Tar). This "military," however was comprised in large-part by a the vindictive Arabic Janjaweed (Tar). The conflict over scarce resources catapulted into a racial vendetta and climaxed with the revolt of the African Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement in 2002-2003 (Tar). The Sudanese government refused, and the genocide began (Tar).
18 February 2008
Journalism 203
Professor B. Teufel
The conflict of February 2003 thrust Darfur into international consciousness, and, for some, conscience; but Sudan's intricate and volatile war, like a knot with many threads, traces back much further (Salih). The war is actually a cumulation of events dating from Sudan's independence from Turco-Egyptian rule in 1956, set against centuries of racial tension (Salih). Further, the war is more nuanced than merely an ethnic clash between African rebel movements and the largely Arabic Sudanese government (Tar). Widening racial polarity and constant war over poorly-distributed, poorly-developed resources are recurring themes in Darfur's turbulent history (Salih). Yet prior to 2003, these conflicts went largely unnoticed (Tar). Deemed a genocide by Congress, and, "the world's worst humanitarian crisis," by the United Nations (Willemse), these terms really only scratch the surface of the conflict in Darfur (Tar; Salih). While the race-factor is a catalyst that turned a recurring conflict over resources into an internationally-famous "genocide", the war itself is rooted in a tangle of religious diversity, shortage of goods, poorly-distributed resources, ill-handled government, ethnic conflict, and Sudanese politic (Tar; Salih).
The diversity of Sudan makes it an unusually unstable region of Africa. It is not only Africa's "largest nation-state," but it is also one of its most diverse (Tar). The population of 28 million is comprised of over 20 linguistic groups, as well as a variety of religions including Islam and Christianity (Tar). Since Sudan's independence from Turco-Egyptian rule, one of the key themes of its troubled history has been domestic conflict (Salih). This domestic conflict escalated to the internationally-renowned clash beginning in 2003 (Tar). The immediate reasons for this clash were the competition of Darfur's two main ethnic groups—Arabic and African—in a struggle over natural resources (Tar). The Sudanese government furthered this conflict by arming the largely Arabic militia, turning a competition over resources in to a venue for long-standing racial hatred (Tar). Two rebel movements, The Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) joined forces to demand the development of the neglected regions of Darfur, as well as equal representation in government (Tar). The rebellion escalated as the Sudanese government met their request not with diplomacy, but with war (Tar). This war began to resemble genocide, for the Sudanese government armed and then lost control of a militia force whose brutal reputation soon earned them the title of the Janjaweed, or "Devil Horseman" (Willemse). This militia is largely comprised of nomadic Arabs, while the rebellion forces are mostly made up of stationary African farmers (Salih). This racial polarization of forces turned a conflict over resources into a war waged largely over race, a venue for centuries of hatred, and which has since earned the term of genocide (Tar).
While tribal conflict in Sudan began to brew centuries ago, the current racial polarization is most relevantly traced back to 1956, when Sudan gained independence from Turco-Egyptian rule (Salih). A side-effect of Sudan's independence was the intensification of Darfur's politically-based ethnic divisions, as well as a shortage of provisions due to concurrent urbanization and population growth (Salih). Sudan's liberation from Turco-Egyptian rule thus brought not stability, but increased conflict to the already volatile region (Salih). The military coups of 1958, 1969, and 1989 further destabilized the region, while racial divides were increasingly drawn along political lines (Salih). The coup of 1989 was largely propagated by the National Islamic Front, or NIF, and led to the current Sudanese government (Willemse; Salih). Darfur's incessant civil war during this period led to the Sudanese government's creation of the Popular Defense Force, or PDF (Salih). The PDF is an extreme Islamic group, which by 1996 outnumbered the regular army (Salih). It was through this increasingly popular use of tribal militias that the current Janjaweed came into being (Willemse; Salih). Janjaweed is a term used to describe the NIF's militias which, as aforesaid, are largely comprised of nomadic Arabic groups (Salih). The creation of the militias led to the increased polarization of ethnic groups, an already hair-trigger relationship due to steadily increasing conflict over Darfur's resources (Salih).
Shortage of resources became yet another source of racial polarization between the nomadic Arab groups and the mostly African farmers (Tar). However, the line from resource shortage to ethnic cleansing bears some explanation. Several prolonged droughts led to an increasingly fierce competition for the region's natural resources (Tar). Darfur's African tribal groups, such as the Fur, the Masalit, and the Zaghawa, are comprised mostly of stationary farmers (Tar). The majority of the Arabic peoples of northern Darfur are shepherds, rearing camels and cattle (Tar). During times of drought and subsequent famine, the Arabic pastoralists ranged further afield, seeking food and water for their livestock (Salih). Although there were many droughts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, a particularly severe drought-induced famine ravaged Darfur between 1984 and 1985, and led to large-scale losses of Arabic livestock (Tar). The Arab pastoralists turned increasingly to grazing their dwindling flocks upon the farmlands of the African settlers (Tar). The African farmers fought back, for grazing animals wreak havoc upon farmland (Tar). As the famine worsened, nomadic Arabic pastoralists' turned increasingly to raiding African farmers as well (Tar). This violent competition between the Arab shepherd groups and African farming communities set up an extremely volatile situation. It only needed the introduction of firearms to edge it on the bloody road to genocide (Tar).
While this competition and the resulting conflict were not unusual for Darfur, the late 1980s conflict would prove unique due to the almost simultaneous introduction of firearms to both the Arabic and the African factions (Tar). By January 1988, "there were at least 50,000 automatic weapons in Darfur—one for every sixteen adult men." (Tar). The introduction of firearms proved to be a match upon dry tender; the "deadly combination," of firearms and a state rife with instability and racial hatred proved to be the first active steps toward the current-day genocide (Tar).
Successive Sudanese political parties furthered Darfur's already volatile state by promising firearms to "loyal," groups (Tar). However, the Sudanese government is largely comprised of the Arabic elite, while the African farmers increasingly and correspondingly aligned themselves with the rebellion (Willemse). The African tribes of the Fur, the Masalit, and the Zaghawa were among the first to align themselves with the rebellion, but as it was increasingly drawn-out in racial lines, smaller African tribes followed suit (Willemse). Perhaps the match to the tender was the discovery of petroleum in 1999 (Tar). While the increase in fortune could have been used to improve the country of Darfur, the Sudanese government instead poured the extra funds in to the military (Tar). This "military," however was comprised in large-part by a the vindictive Arabic Janjaweed (Tar). The conflict over scarce resources catapulted into a racial vendetta and climaxed with the revolt of the African Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement in 2002-2003 (Tar). The Sudanese government refused, and the genocide began (Tar).
Salih, M.A. Mohamed. (2005). Understanding the Conflict in Darfur. Occasional Papers from the Centre of African Studies, University of Copenhagen. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.teol.ku.dk/cas/nyhomepage/mapper/Occasional%20Papers/
Muhamed_Salih%20samlet%20paper.pdf
Tar, Usman. (2006). Old Conflict, New Complex Emergency: An Analysis of Darfur Crisis, Western Sudan [Electronic version]. Nordic Journal of African Studies 15(3), 406-427. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.njas.helsinki.fi/
Willemse, Karen. (2005). Darfur in War: The Politicization of Ethnic Identities [Electronic version]. ISIM Review, 15. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.isim.nl/
Willemse, Karen. (2005). Darfur in War: The Politicization of Ethnic Identities [Electronic version]. ISIM Review, 15. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.isim.nl/
files/Review_15/Review_15-14.pdf>
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Creative LEDES Assignment
LEDES:
1. Actual article/Profile
2. Contrast
A young lady leaves a set of silk boxers at his hotel lobby. Another spends $6,000 for a day at his house. Movie star? No. Dirt bike racer.
3. Teaser
His mother hired armed guards to escort him off the plane.This should have been a fairly simple task, considering his right leg was held together with duct-tape. He got away.
4. Mystery
The body plummeting toward the earth was that of a teenage boy without a parachute. They took a picture of him as he fell. He plans to hang it in his living room.
5. Quote
They were not the words that Debbie Pastrana wanted to hear. "Mom, if I die, I die doing what I love."
6. List
He's suffered more than 25 concussions. He's broken more than 60 bones. He's had over 23 surgeries. But those are minor details to Travis Pastrana, compared to the roster of his accomplishments.
7. Question
Why do some people possess the pathological desire to - almost - kill themselves for the sake of fun? Travis Pastrana takes this drive a step further, and that extra step has forever immortalized him. His stunts surpass even the boldest base-jumper. Pastrana, at just past 20, has already flipped a bike off the Grand Canyon, jumped out of a plane without a parachute, and pulled a double back-flip on a dirt bike.
8. Cliche
They say that opportunity doesn't knock more than once. For Travis Pastrana, that might be a good thing.
1. Actual article/Profile
2. Contrast
A young lady leaves a set of silk boxers at his hotel lobby. Another spends $6,000 for a day at his house. Movie star? No. Dirt bike racer.
3. Teaser
His mother hired armed guards to escort him off the plane.This should have been a fairly simple task, considering his right leg was held together with duct-tape. He got away.
4. Mystery
The body plummeting toward the earth was that of a teenage boy without a parachute. They took a picture of him as he fell. He plans to hang it in his living room.
5. Quote
They were not the words that Debbie Pastrana wanted to hear. "Mom, if I die, I die doing what I love."
6. List
He's suffered more than 25 concussions. He's broken more than 60 bones. He's had over 23 surgeries. But those are minor details to Travis Pastrana, compared to the roster of his accomplishments.
7. Question
Why do some people possess the pathological desire to - almost - kill themselves for the sake of fun? Travis Pastrana takes this drive a step further, and that extra step has forever immortalized him. His stunts surpass even the boldest base-jumper. Pastrana, at just past 20, has already flipped a bike off the Grand Canyon, jumped out of a plane without a parachute, and pulled a double back-flip on a dirt bike.
8. Cliche
They say that opportunity doesn't knock more than once. For Travis Pastrana, that might be a good thing.
FEATURE OUTLINE
Headline: SLO County Coalition Works to Overcome Childhood Obesity
Focus: An up-and-coming San Luis Obispo County coalition known as HEAL SLO (Healthy Eating Active Living San Luis Obispo,) seeks to stem the tide of childhood obesity.
Theme: Make a difference! A large and worthwhile movement is underway. Hop on board.
Idea for Lede:
Slow and steady wins the race; and SLO is steadily winning the race - against childhood obesity, that is. While childhood obesity, and its resulting health concerns, is of national importance, dealing with it might be done most effectively at the community-level. At least, that's what leaders of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force believe.
Outline. (Probably will need to tweak it as I write)
I. The problem: Childhood Obesity (nationwide, but focus is SLO county) Epidemic
A. What percentage of our children are obese/overweight?
i. Statistics of childhood obesity
ii. What is classified as "obese" vs. "overweight"
iii. What percentage of children are obese/overweight
iv. 20-25 years ago/now
v. compared to European stats
B. Why should we care?
i. Health problems. Obesity causes increased risk of:
a. Diabetes. Cardiovascular disease. etc. higher death rate/reduced life expectancy
C. Why obesity is a "growing" problem
i. Lack of physical activity/overconsumption of calories due to:
ii. Lack of education, in this case parents/school programs targeted, to encourage/teach better food choices among children
iii. Widespread availability of fast/processed food, especially in school settings
iv. Increase in sedentary activities
a. Children used to play outside with friends/now chat online
b. Competitive sport emphasized over "play." Children who lack competency in particular sports end up hating it and dropping it when old enough (Interview: Prof. Milner of Westmont College?)
c. TV/internet/video games.
II. Combating the problem: (this section will be expanded upon after the interviews)
A. Community-wide Task Force under acronym: "HEAL SLO"
i. Stands for Healthy Eating Active Living San Luis Obispo
B. Who it involves?
i. Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force:
a. Widespread Coalition of Schools/Health Centers/Community Centers/parents/children
b. Santa Barbara, Ventura, and other counties implementing or already have similar programs
i. List goals
a. Goals of organization.
C. What are their methods?
i. Socio-Ecological model
ii. Emphasizes holistic wellness: healthy eating, active living. Balanced, healthy, and long-term lifestyle choices. III. How does this involve you? Don't have to be a parent.
III. How to get involved
A. Personal level:
i. Set good example
a. If you're overweight/practice unhealthy eating habits, how can you expect your child/child's life to be any different? Children emulate the adults in their life
ii. Learn about healthy eating choices
a. Through sites such as the Gold Coast Regional Nutrition Network, American Health Association, Mayo Clinic
b. Community classes
c. Newsletters/books/reading materials (list top few)
iii. If parent, talk to children about healthy eating choices and only buy healthy food
iv. Encourage active lifestyle:
a. By taking walks with them rather than watching TV or other more sedentary activities
b. Take to national/regional parks to explore nature
c. Help them understand that even if they're not good at, for instance, ball sports, they might love something like hiking or rock climbing. Alternative activities
B. At a community level
i. Encourage local schools to incorporate healthier eating options into lunches/snack machines
ii. List community programs that parents/adults can get involved in for a more action-oriented approach
iii. Donate to: (list links)
Sources:
Rachael Willey
SLO Public Health Department
Contact for Obesity Prevention Task Force
Tel: (805) 215-9524
email: rmwilley@gmail.com
Gold Coast Regional Nutrition Network
Ramona Sloan, MPH, GCRNN Director
Tel: 805.677.5279
Contact: Amy Gilman
email: acgillman@yahoo.com
Phyllis Bramson-Paul, MPPA
Director, Nutrition Services Division (NSD), California Department of Education
Tel: (916) 323-7311
Email: pbramson@cde.ca.gov
Pat Crawford, DrPH, RD
Adjunct Professor, Nutrition Specialist, and Co-Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Weight and Health
Tel: (510) 642-5572
Email: crawford@socrates.berkeley.edu
Scott Gee, MD
Medical Director of Prevention and Health Information at Kaiser Permanente – Northern California
Telephone: (510) 987-4358
Email: scott.gee@kp.org
Nancy Gelbard, MPH, RD
Chief of California Obesity Prevention Initiative at the Department of Health Services (COPI)
Tel: (916) 552-9949 or (530) 220-7859
Email: ngelbard@dhs.ca.gov
Focus: An up-and-coming San Luis Obispo County coalition known as HEAL SLO (Healthy Eating Active Living San Luis Obispo,) seeks to stem the tide of childhood obesity.
Theme: Make a difference! A large and worthwhile movement is underway. Hop on board.
Idea for Lede:
Slow and steady wins the race; and SLO is steadily winning the race - against childhood obesity, that is. While childhood obesity, and its resulting health concerns, is of national importance, dealing with it might be done most effectively at the community-level. At least, that's what leaders of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force believe.
Outline. (Probably will need to tweak it as I write)
I. The problem: Childhood Obesity (nationwide, but focus is SLO county) Epidemic
A. What percentage of our children are obese/overweight?
i. Statistics of childhood obesity
ii. What is classified as "obese" vs. "overweight"
iii. What percentage of children are obese/overweight
iv. 20-25 years ago/now
v. compared to European stats
B. Why should we care?
i. Health problems. Obesity causes increased risk of:
a. Diabetes. Cardiovascular disease. etc. higher death rate/reduced life expectancy
C. Why obesity is a "growing" problem
i. Lack of physical activity/overconsumption of calories due to:
ii. Lack of education, in this case parents/school programs targeted, to encourage/teach better food choices among children
iii. Widespread availability of fast/processed food, especially in school settings
iv. Increase in sedentary activities
a. Children used to play outside with friends/now chat online
b. Competitive sport emphasized over "play." Children who lack competency in particular sports end up hating it and dropping it when old enough (Interview: Prof. Milner of Westmont College?)
c. TV/internet/video games.
II. Combating the problem: (this section will be expanded upon after the interviews)
A. Community-wide Task Force under acronym: "HEAL SLO"
i. Stands for Healthy Eating Active Living San Luis Obispo
B. Who it involves?
i. Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force:
a. Widespread Coalition of Schools/Health Centers/Community Centers/parents/children
b. Santa Barbara, Ventura, and other counties implementing or already have similar programs
i. List goals
a. Goals of organization.
C. What are their methods?
i. Socio-Ecological model
ii. Emphasizes holistic wellness: healthy eating, active living. Balanced, healthy, and long-term lifestyle choices. III. How does this involve you? Don't have to be a parent.
III. How to get involved
A. Personal level:
i. Set good example
a. If you're overweight/practice unhealthy eating habits, how can you expect your child/child's life to be any different? Children emulate the adults in their life
ii. Learn about healthy eating choices
a. Through sites such as the Gold Coast Regional Nutrition Network, American Health Association, Mayo Clinic
b. Community classes
c. Newsletters/books/reading materials (list top few)
iii. If parent, talk to children about healthy eating choices and only buy healthy food
iv. Encourage active lifestyle:
a. By taking walks with them rather than watching TV or other more sedentary activities
b. Take to national/regional parks to explore nature
c. Help them understand that even if they're not good at, for instance, ball sports, they might love something like hiking or rock climbing. Alternative activities
B. At a community level
i. Encourage local schools to incorporate healthier eating options into lunches/snack machines
ii. List community programs that parents/adults can get involved in for a more action-oriented approach
iii. Donate to: (list links)
Sources:
Rachael Willey
SLO Public Health Department
Contact for Obesity Prevention Task Force
Tel: (805) 215-9524
email: rmwilley@gmail.com
Gold Coast Regional Nutrition Network
Ramona Sloan, MPH, GCRNN Director
Tel: 805.677.5279
Contact: Amy Gilman
email: acgillman@yahoo.com
Phyllis Bramson-Paul, MPPA
Director, Nutrition Services Division (NSD), California Department of Education
Tel: (916) 323-7311
Email: pbramson@cde.ca.gov
Pat Crawford, DrPH, RD
Adjunct Professor, Nutrition Specialist, and Co-Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Weight and Health
Tel: (510) 642-5572
Email: crawford@socrates.berkeley.edu
Scott Gee, MD
Medical Director of Prevention and Health Information at Kaiser Permanente – Northern California
Telephone: (510) 987-4358
Email: scott.gee@kp.org
Nancy Gelbard, MPH, RD
Chief of California Obesity Prevention Initiative at the Department of Health Services (COPI)
Tel: (916) 552-9949 or (530) 220-7859
Email: ngelbard@dhs.ca.gov
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