Jess's Mass Com Blog

Firefox PR - How they pulled through and still need to

2008-06-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Essentially this is the scoop...

Firefox 3 was scheduled to launch at 10 am PST. The PR team had launched a campaign to set a Guinness World Record for the most software downloaded in a 24-hour period, genius. For those who know Firefox users you know that the users are extremely loyal to the browser and swear by it.

Well, this morning users may have been swearing at it. With users ready to download, Firefox was not ready.

Eeeek! The PR team worked wonders on setting up a launch. Hopefully they will work wonders in addressing this issue. Will Firefox 3 make the Guinness Record?!

Check out this article.

Why Bloggers have so much power

2008-04-29T23:14:00.001-07:00

There is no doubt that bloggers in many ways have become the new journalists of the U.S. However, the main difference is that the general public invests far more into bloggers. Why is this? Bloggers write in an intimate and conversational fashion which appeals to the mass public. People can easily respond to bloggers in this Web 2.0 generation.

Michael Arrington is a world-known blogger and recently he has exemplified the bright and dark side of blogging.

Recently, Michael Arrington rented a theater for the screening of Iron-man. He essentially paid full price for the showing, but was offering the screening at $1 per ticket. Naturally, many were thrilled at the idea. Needless to say, word also spread quite quickly as he is such a prominent blogger.

Today, Arrington posted a blog post which explained Marvel's request to cancel the showing. In this post you can see that Arrington is even able to insert the original email.

Lessons learned:

1. Don't mess too much with bloggers cause their "followers" are more likely to side with them than you.

2. Be careful of what you decide to email vs. make a phone call for because it is far too easy to pass on an email.

Oh the world of blogging!

Memorial Assignment

2008-04-28T22:47:00.001-07:00

Imagine living life as a citizen of the United States when one day you’re your life is stripped of you. You are forced to leave your home, your belongings and potentially your loved ones. This was reality for 62 percent of Japanese Americans in the 1940’s. In fact, approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans were interned during this time. While many have heard of the Japanese internment many do not realize why it occurred and to what extent it affected U.S. residents. During the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were forced into housing facilities.

At San Jose State University, Uchida Hall was used as an internment site. As well, Ruth Asawa has designed the memorial found on Second Street. On this memorial the three areas which intrigued me most was the scene of the family leaving the home, the train scene with soldiers and the general formatting of the structure.

A mother stood sobbing and a father comforts a crying daughter. In the yard lies the families belongings showing signs saying stating that all of the items must go. This was one of the first scenes which exemplified the suffering of the Japanese during this time. As I viewed it I could not imagine the feeling of having everything I owned being taken from me. The artist did a great job of allowing this scene to appeal to anyone. There is a father, a mother, a son and two daughters.

The train scene shows Japanese Americans being shoved into trains that are already full. Families and friends reach for one another attempting to have one last goodbye, as they question when or if they will see one another again. Behind the flocking people stand soldiers with guns held high. This shows the chaos in the lives of the Japanese as the soldiers stand motionless and emotionless.

The construction of this memorial is so intriguing due to the structure and placement of the different scenes. For example, on the first side of the memorial barbed wire loosely hangs along the top. However, on the other side which shows the scenes of suffering the once loose barbed wire is now strung tightly along the top. As well, soldiers and watch towers span the entire height of the memorial while small scenes sit behind it. Through having these large figures it gives the feeling of constant surveillance, which the Japanese must have felt at this time.

There is no doubt that cultures throughout history have fought the never ending battle to dominate other cultures. While it has been seen quite obviously through times like the holocaust, I do believe it still occurs. Throughout post 9-11 people of many cultures experienced the feelings of being shunned in society. While a culture may not have been sent to camps or forced to designated living areas, many felt the need to prove themselves as Americans. Most may not view these feelings in a similar fashion, but I do believe it is similar and I have no doubt that something of this sort will happen again.

Juggling Web 2.0

2008-04-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that in the past decade consumers have taken over the internet and transformed it into the web 2.0 era. People now turn to the internet to seek information, post information and give personal accounts a feedback.

YouTube.com is an outlet that has allowed people such as Chris Crocker and Star wars kid to become household names and topics.

As well, social networking sites have become the modern day address book for the web 2.0 generation. Among myspace, facebook, Twitter, blogger, etc. there is a lot to keep up with in the online world. Recently, I came across the site ping.fm which allows users to have one place to access all accounts. Essentially if you want to post something on both twitter and pownce you can enter the text on ping.fm and select which outlets you wish to post on.

With the online life becoming information overload it does allow ease in posting, but will it continue to make the world of information even more difficult to sort through? Ping.fm is still in beta, but let me know if you would like an add code as I have one.

Word Count: 200

Obituary

2008-04-27T22:51:00.001-07:00

Jessica Renee Loebig is remembered by most from her loud laugh and love for talking. Friends, described her as an avid karaoke enthusiast and Tetris fanatic.

She was born and raised in San Jose, Calif. with her older brother Travis and younger sister Amy.

The first 18 years of her life, Jessica was seen leaping and twirling as she had a passion for dance. She was a member of the Pioneer dance team, and found true love in performing ballet.

Through dance Jessica quickly gained a passion for music as well. She began attending live shows and performances, and attempted to learn to play guitar.

“I took Jessica to her first concert when she was 13,” said father Frank Loebig. “We had second-row tickets, and I think it was one of the most special nights we were able to have together.”

Jessica spent a majority of her life intrigued by her studies, as she was the first person of her family to attend and graduate from college. She studied Public Relations, and made the most of her time at San Jose State University.

In her time at San Jose State University, Jessica was a resident advisor, orientation advisor, member of Alpha Phi Omega, Controller for Associated Students and Treasurer for the Public Relations Student Society of America.

While at San Jose State University she also fell in love with her boyfriend of three years, Alexander Monney. After meeting in 2005, the two were inseparable and enjoyed snowboarding, traveling and movie-going together.

“Jessica just loved to smile, and even more she loved to see others smile,” said her mother Eileen Loebig. “I think she was most happy just knowing that others around her were happy.”

Word count: 291

Fish out of Water

2008-04-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

As I entered the building there was an instant sense of warmth permeating throughout the room. The chattering throughout the ballroom could be heard outside as the hundreds of people socialized. The lights dimmed and the audience took seat.

I sat, not knowing what to expect. As the dancers entered the stage, they moved to the sounds of large bongo drums. I was initially taken aback by the costumes, as the male dancers wore no more than a loin cloth. As the event continued I began to admire the dancers for both their confidence as well as their desire to understand and praise their culture.

Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) is an annual event hosted by the student organization, Akbayan. This event has grown significantly in the past five years. In fact, it has become so large that this year Akbayan moved from the Barrette Ballroom, its usual on-campus venue, to an off-campus venue which could accommodate a much larger audience.

When the dancers exited the stage, the main event began. A dramatic play exemplified the Filipino culture through the representation of a typical Filipino family. It was intriguing to watch the struggles and issues being addressed. One topic that was significantly addressed was the impact of gender roles on the family. They displayed the constant desire for children of the family to be accepted by and want to fulfill the expectations of the father. Much of the play also highlighted the males’ need to be the strong hold of the family, while the mother struggles to keep the family cohesive.

As I sat in my seat, it was impossible to not notice that I was one of few attendees not of the Filipino culture. However, because I have many friends in Akbayan my “outsider” feelings were more at ease. I actually felt quite comfortable at the event, as it was very apparent that the audience and performers were proud to display the culture of which they are a part of.

Word Count: 330

GTA4 - Advertising Banned

2008-04-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) was one of the first video games which struck moral conversations in the media and in households. Many parents had issues with their children being rewarded for assault and hi-jacking. As conversations continued, many began to tackle the question: Do video games cause children to be more violent?

Well, Chicago public transit has decided to take action through refusal to run GTA IV ads. Chicago public transit was able to do this through expressing Chicago’s street violence as a means of defense. A recent Joystiq article explains the ads as not depicting “any scenes of violence.” While some are talking about the issue, it is not the first time GTA has been banned as ads for GTA were also banned in 2004.

Any feedback? Do you feel GTA ads would influence violence in Chicago or other cities? I am interested to hear the thoughts of others on this issue.

Word Count: 155

Fish out of Water

2008-04-21T23:40:00.001-07:00

During PCN a majority of the time is spent watching a play which exemplifies the Filipino family life and culture. As well, the play has breaks in which Akbayan members perform traditional Filipino dances in traditional costume. Many of the male costumes expose far more than accustom to the U.S. culture. Many of the male dancers wear only loin cloths and are typically completely bare on top.

All in all PCN was a great experience. It was interesting to watch the struggles and issues being addressed. One topic that was significantly addressed was the impact of gender roles on the family. They displayed the constant desire for children of the family to be accepted by and want to fulfill the expectations of the father. Much of the play also highlighted the males’ need to be the strong hold of the family, while the mother struggles to keep the family cohesive.

While sitting in the audience, I probably stuck out like a sore thumb, as a majority of the audience was Filipino. However, I have many friends in Akbayan which significantly eased the feelings of being an “outsider.” I actually felt quite comfortable at the event, as it was very apparent that the audience and performers were proud to display the culture of which they are a part of. As well, I attended with two non-Filipino friends, which also eased the feelings of being an “outsider.”

Word Count: 305

Videogames - A new platform for advertising

2008-04-17T00:19:00.000-07:00

As our primary focus for the week is advertising, I would like to focus on product placement for this post. When thinking of product placements many typically think of television and movie placements, but now advertising is even being found in videogames.

Many of the games that include advertising are EA Sports games such as NCAA or Madden. Much of the advertising appears similar to how it would if you were to attend a professional sports game. They may appear on sidelines or on megatrons. Some examples of advertising include the placement of Coca-cola or ESPN. Currently in the debut trailer for NCAA Football 09, a Coca-cola Zero ad appears when players are calling audibles. This placement is found within the first minute of the trailer.

As well, the game Crazy Taxi which was offered both in arcades and on the Playstation 2 console had very obvious product placement. This game advertised Pizza Hut and other restaurants and chain stores as well as music from the band The Offspring.

While many are skeptical of these types of advertisements, I am not entirely against this type of placement. In fact, more often than not I am entertained by the product and brand placements. Many commonly argue that children should not be overly exposed to advertising, and videogames encourages exposure to children. However, videogames are no longer just for kids, but for teens and consumers in their 20's which is a huge consumer group.

All in all, advertising and marketing groups have become very creative in the placement of products and services. It is extremely smart to target gamers as they tend to spend less time exposed to television advertising and more time in the virtual world.

Word count: 286

EA Predicts San Jose Sharks to take the Stanley Cup

2008-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

For many, the digital world has taken over reality. People have allowed online communities like Second Life to replace real-life interactions. Now, Electronic Arts (EA) has fed into these fantasy worlds and utilized their products to predict the future of the NHL playoffs.

On Tuesday, April 8, EA Sports predicted that the San Jose Sharks will defeat the Montreal Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup. They essentially did this through a simulation on the EA game NHL 08.

EA Sports also utilized Madden for superbowl predictions, including last season’s prediction when they incorrectly predicted the Patriots to take home the win.

Many take these predictions quite seriously, but all in all it is an entertaining way to start out the NHL playoffs and to shed light on EA products.

Word Count: 131

Word of the week #10

2008-04-09T17:14:00.001-07:00

Word: ostensibly

Word usage: The site offers an ostensibly impressive feature-set. Upon entering a cell number and the password associated with a mobile account, the user is presented with a comprehensive usage analysis, including a listing of the user’s most-called contacts and networks.

Definitions:

adjective

outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended: an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.
apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories

Applicable definition:

1. apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories

My sentence: The girl came to class late every day. I could tell that her obstensible tardiness upset the professor.

Source: Techcrunch.com. Billshrink launches to save you money on your phone bill.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/09/billshrink-launches-to-save-you-money-on-your-phone-bill/

Word count: 116

Word of the week #9

2008-04-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

Word: dubious

Word usage: Slanters are bad because they try to get us to assume a dubious claim is true without reflecting on it.

Definition:

doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply.
of doubtful quality or propriety; questionable: a dubious compliment; a dubious transaction.
of uncertain outcome: in dubious battle.
wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt

Applicable definition:

doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply.
wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt

My sentence: The dubious response allowed the crowd to easily side with the politician’s position.

Source: Epstein, R.L. (2006). Critical thinking. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education.

Word count: 117

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

2008-04-01T00:10:00.001-07:00

She closed her suitcase, clicking shut the old-fashioned locks. “My mother is dead,” she said again, this time reminding herself. She set her suitcase upright on the floor and sat on it. She looked like someone waiting for a train.

“Fine,” I said. “And she’s going to be dead for a long time.” Though it sounded stupid, I felt good saying it. As though I had my own locks to click shut.

Through similes and metaphors Z.Z. Packer cleverly engages the reader’s imagination to continue reading and to look beyond the first-person encounter or situation at hand.

In this chapter, an angry, lesbian Yale student attempts to transform her pessimist thinking into a more thoughtful and open state of mind. Z.Z. Packer uses a large amount of dialogue to outline what she is thinking in comparison to what she is saying. The girl curses and yells, and shows little compassion through her words, but internally is hiding the emotions and feeling she internalizes.

…With this she put a jovial arm around my neck. I continued walking, a little stunned. Then, just as quickly, she dropped her arm and stopped walking. I stopped too.

“Did you notice that I put my arm around you?”

“Yes,” I said. “Next time, I’ll have to chop it off…”

In the cold air, her arm had felt good.”

Without these dialogues, as well as the use of comparisons and descriptions, the emotions and attitudes of the characters would not be as easily identifiable or as effective.

Word Count: 253

Word of the week #8

2008-04-01T00:09:00.000-07:00

Word Usage: Every Friday after school all the teachers in the program met at a bar called The Rendezvous Lounge, ostensibly to swap teaching stories and commiserate before they got drunk.

Word: ostensibly

Definitions:

From appearances alone
seemingly, apparently, on the surface

My sentence: The boy ostensibly tried out for the play, but in actuality he just wanted to be the Juliet’s real-life Romeo.

Source: Packer, Z. 2003. Drinking coffee elsewhere. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.

Word Count: 82

NPR Interview Observation

2008-03-17T23:56:00.001-07:00

Prior to interviewing Patricia Clarkson, the interviewer gave a brief description of the type of roles she typically plays. He described her as the character “that provides the key dramatic turn,” and described some of her previous roles.

Because Clarkson was on the radio show to discuss her role in the upcoming film Married Life, a majority of the questions revolved around her role in the film.

Why did you want to do this film?

When working with Pierce Brosnan were there a lot of James Bond jokes?

The interviewer was particularly talented at building questions. At one point Clarkson explained why she wanted to be in the film and explained that “working with Chris Cooper was a plus.” When the interviewer heard this he immediately followed-up openly asking her to elaborate on why she was so enthusiastic about working with Cooper.

I feel the primary strategy was simply feeding off of Clarkson’s energy. It seemed as though he would sense what she was enthusiastic about and simply ask her to elaborate.

During the interview there was only one question that could have raised an eyebrow or be taken as inadequate or evasive.

At one point the interviewer was kindly trying to ask Clarkson if she is more open to certain scripts now that she has been in the industry for some time. Clarkson slightly giggled and made a joke about her only being 28. You could sense that the interviewer was hesitant to mention age, and it lead to an almost awkward question. I think the main reason why I was skeptical of the question is because it didn’t seem to have a point other than bringing up her age. Similarly, the answer didn’t offer much but and embarrassing chuckle. Some things are better left unsaid.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88276534

Word Count: 300

Word of the week #7

2008-03-11T23:50:00.001-07:00

Word: Furtive

Word use:

There were several furtive attempts to create special purpose listservs, first through the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) with the Free Radio List, then with the Free Radio Emergency Response List.

Definitions:

Furtive – adj.

Characterized by stealth; surreptitious.
Expressive of hidden motives or purposes; shifty. See Synonyms at secret.

** Both definitions could be applicable to the use of furtive in the above sentence.

My Sentence:

The audience could see through her furtive speech.

Word Count: 83

Mystery character

2008-03-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

His royal blue color sets him apart from all other animals of his species. His bright red sneakers help him to sprint through loops and turns, avoiding spikes which cause him to lose all of his riches. His suave and hip voice makes him down to earth and likable.

Want to know who the Mystery Character is?

Word of the week #6

2008-03-06T01:34:00.001-08:00

Word: Salient

Word Usage:

After all, what we as human observers consider to be salient acoustic features of the repertoire may turn out to be irrelevant from the rhesus monkey’s perspective.

Definitions:

-noun

prominent or conspicuous: salient traits.
projecting or pointing outward: a salient angle.
leaping or jumping: a salient animal
Heraldry. (of a beast) represented as leaping: a lion salient.
a salient angle or part, as the central outward-projecting angle of a bastion or an outward projection in a battle line.
Physical Geography. a landform that extends out beyond its surroundings, as a spur projecting from the side of a mountain

Applicable definition:

prominent or conspicuous: salient traits.

My Sentence:

The salient trait allows for frogs to recognize the mating call specific to its species.

Reference:

Hauser, M. (1996). The evolution of communication. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Word Count: 148

Word of the week #5

2008-02-27T22:52:00.001-08:00

Word: excoriated

Original Word use:

Stevens excoriated the majority decision as one that "trivializes the two cardinal principles upon which Tinker rests," because it "upholds a punishment meted out on the basis of a listener's disagreement with her understanding (or, more likely, misunderstanding) of the speaker's viewpoint.

Definitions:

ex·co·ri·ate /ɪkˈskɔriˌeɪt, -ˈskoʊr-/ Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing.

1. to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: He was excoriated for his mistakes

2. to strip off or remove the skin from: Her palms were excoriated by the hard labor of shoveling.

Applicable Definition:

-- to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: He was excoriated for his mistakes

My Sentence:

The arrested man was publicly excoriated by the police present.

Word Count: 118

Tiger Woods gains his 63rd career victory

2008-02-25T23:22:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was the Accenture Match Play Tournament in Marana, Arizona. Woods competed against Stewart Cink and found himself with an 8-and-7 victory. For golfers and golf fans this tournament was specifically intriguing because Tiger Wood’s 63^rd victory bumped him above Arnold Palmer.

Newspaper: When reviewing the San Jose Mercury the news being reported focused first on the victory, then on Tiger’s attitude and finally on his victory moving him past Arnold Palmer. This series of details makes sense as it is not necessarily a crowd specific to golf. For long-time golfers, the news most likely would have been Tiger moving past Arnold Palmer on the PGA Tour’s career list.

Web: I was quite surprised when juggling through online news as I primarily found the same articles that appeared in print in the New York Times, San Jose Mercury and more. However I did find an article on PGATour.com which explained briefly the victory and then listed fan emails to Woods. This was more of the type of information I was expecting to find online. Because online media allows for more interaction and is typically used for recreational and ease reading. Another major difference with the web was the large amount of pictures for viewing making it a much more visual experience.

Television News: For this segment I viewed both local news as well as ESPN’s SportsCenter, and the differences were evident. On the local news there was a very brief period designated to the match play tournament. There were a few quick visual clips and approximately two minutes dedicated to explaining the occurrences.

On the other hand, hours were spent this weekend on ESPN completely dedicated to the tournament, its significance and the weekend’s occurrences. This is of no surprise to me as baseball and football are in the middle of their down-time and ESPN is specifically for sports followers.

For both the local news and SportsCenter the information was most visual and the easiest to follow and understand.

Word Count: 340

Word of the week #4

2008-02-19T20:09:00.001-08:00

Word: Tactical

Word Usage:

Acts as the primary day-to-day contact with clients regarding tactical programs

Definition:

tac·ti·cal /ˈtæktɪkəl/ Pronunciation Key–adjective

1. of or pertaining to tactics, esp. military or naval tactics.

2. characterized by skillful tactics or adroit maneuvering or procedure: tactical movements.

3. of or pertaining to a maneuver or plan of action designed as an expedient toward gaining a desired end or temporary advantage.

4. expedient; calculated

5. prudent; politic

Applicable Definition:

-- of or pertaining to a maneuver or plan of action designed as an expedient toward gaining a desired end or temporary advantage.

New Sentence:

The tactical seminar will train the employees on key ways to engage audiences.

Word found on job posting: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mar/579685113.html

Word Count: 118

Alice in Wonderland - My favorite art

2008-02-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

Some of the primary art features that I find most intriguing include the revolving bookcase on the first floor, the column made from a redwood tree, the bathroom sinks, the sound of pages turning, and the Alice in Wonderland door.

There is no doubt that my favorite piece of art is the Alice in Wonderland door that can be found in the far right elevator. I have always loved the tale, and the miniature door makes me feel like I am a child again. This piece of art was so exciting to me that the first time I noticed it I found myself crouching to see if the door opens.

Alice in Wonderland was such a popular piece of literature that I feel the art would not be as significant anywhere else, but at this library.

Word Count: 136

Word of the week #3

2008-02-14T15:33:00.000-08:00

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_community

Word: propinquity

Word Usage:

Community without propinquity, coined by urban planner Melvin Webber in 1963 and "community liberated," analyzed by Barry Wellman in 1979 began the modern era of thinking about non-local community.

Definitions:

pro·pin·qui·ty ti/ Pronunciation –noun

1. nearness in place; proximity

2. nearness of relation; kinship.

3. affinity of nature; similarity

4. nearness in time.

Applicable Definition: nearness in place; proximity

My Sentence:

The propinquity of the event location to the campus will allow the participants to easily walk from venue to venue.

Word Count: 85

Word of the week #2

2008-02-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/14/topper-makes-search-complicated-in-the-name-of-progress/

Word: Disambiguating

How it was used:

It is great for building ad hoc models for a single search. Try it for disambiguating a query.

Definition:

dis·am·big·u·ate /ˌdɪsæmˈbɪgyuˌeɪt/ Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing.

to remove the ambiguity from; make unambiguous: In order to disambiguate the sentence “She lectured on the famous passenger ship,” you'll have to write either “lectured on board” or “lectured about.”

Applicable definition:

To establish a single grammatical or semantic interpretation for.

My Sentence:

To disambiguate the speaker’s statement, Arrington made a public apology to clear up what he had meant by his controversial statement.

Word Count: 110

Telling Details

2008-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

The banging of the gavel echoed through the chapel, silencing the crowd.

The seven members stood solidly, wearing flowing, vibrant gowns.

One of the 13 men dressed in suits, stood on the altar wiping the sweat from his right palm onto his pant leg.

The active members stood silently by the pews observing respectfully.

The flashing of cameras lit the chapel as the 13 men individually accepted their pins.

After the ceremony, all of the men joined and exchanged handshakes.

All members stood tall and smiled as the guests took pictures of the 13 men's first day as pledges of the fraternity.

Word Count: 106

Accrediting meeting

2008-02-06T00:06:00.000-08:00

This Monday, February 4, I attended the accreditation meeting with five other public relations students. The meeting itself was held very casually as an open discussion and all in all was a pleasant experience.

As a fifth year student at SJSU, public relations was actually my third major. Through having experience in other departments I have truly seen the unique features special to the department of Journalism and Mass Communications. The department is very close knit and the students as well as faculty really have many opportunities to interact and know one another.

As well, I feel it is extremely beneficial to have a public relations major in the same department as journalism. There are many programs that incorporate public relations with business departments or communication studies. Through working with journalism students, and through writing pieces in journalism courses it really allows public relations students to be exposed to the life and working style of journalists. Along with exposure to journalism, exposure to other areas such as marketing and advertising also help us to progress in the field.

All of the points above were discussed in the meeting, and all of the students seemed to agree with them.

It was refreshing to hear the other public relations students as satisfied with the major and department as I have been. One aspect of the conversation that I appreciated was regarding the JMC faculty. Overall, it seemed as though the students really have an appreciation for the faculty within the department and feel comfortable approaching them with issues and concerns. In particular, the students in my session specifically pointed out Dr. Martinelli's dedication to the students and willingness to mentor and help as much as possible. Thanks Dr. Martinelli!

(word count: 287)

My favorite writing

2008-02-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

Matchbook Romance - If All Else Fails lyrics

Artist: Matchbook Romance
Album: Stories And Alibis
Year: 2003
Title: If All Else Fails

A subdued silence undisturbed by the sound of her breath.
So carefully, brush her hair back from her eyes
In steady sequence, one by one.
She slips away.

Chorus:

So close your eyes and sleep to dream.
I'm by your side.
No words to speak.
We'll set our course and make it through.
No matter how far I go

No matter how much this hurts
I wanted you to know,
My heart remains with you.

And I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
But it's clear to see the purpose of my existence is laying here in front of me.

Chorus

And if all else fails you can look up at the sky
Because it's the same one that shines above you and I.
And if all else fails you can close your eyes
And I'll be right beside you.
I'll be the one by your side.

Chorus

---

Matchbook Romance released “If all else fails” in 2003. Since its release it has remained the most played song among all of the titles in my iTunes’ library.

This song appeals to me because of its simplicity, light-heartedness and suitable melody.

In particular I consider this piece to be good writing because of the appropriate word choice throughout the song. In fact, when listening to the song with music there are many points when the words are the primary focus and it can send chills up a listener’s spine.

There are many words that can be used to express emotions and feelings and in this piece the emotions are depicted very clearly and simply. Through the simplicity the audience can easily digest and interpret the song to apply to situations within his or her own life.

Music has a natural tendency to appeal to people’s emotions allowing it to become one of the largest forms of both art and literature across cultures.

(word count: 167)

Word of the week #1

2008-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

Word #1: Fractal

Source:

Lengel, L., Thurlow, C., & Tomic, A. (2006). Computer mediated communication: social interaction
and the internet. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

How it was used:

We’ve chosen to use a fractal on the cover of this book because we think it’s a powerful metaphor
for computer mediated communication (CMC).

Definition:

frac·tal /ˈfræktl/ Pronunciation Key- [frak-tl]

n. A geometrical or physical structure having an irregular or fragmented shape at all scales of measurement between a greatest and smallest scale such that certain mathematical or physical properties of the structure, as the perimeter of a curve or the flow rate in a porous medium, behave as if the dimensions of the structure (fractal dimensions) are greater than the spatial dimensions.

Applicable definition:

frac·tal (frāk'tel)
n. A geometric pattern that is repeated at ever smaller scales to produce irregular shapes and surfaces that cannot be represented by classical geometry. Fractals are used especially in computer modeling of irregular patterns and structures in nature.

My sentence:

The fractal that we generated has a variation of greens making it quite similar to the
structures of broccoli.

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A little about myself...

2008-01-29T11:20:00.000-08:00

My name is Jessica Loebig, and I am currently a Public Relations and Communication Studies student at SJSU. While I have enjoyed my time as a student, I am looking forward to graduating this coming May. After graduation from SJSU I plan on hitting the work force as well as continuing my education.

I have always had an interest for Mass Communications and more specifically in the areas of new technology, sports and music. Through MCom 100W I hope to enhance my writing skills to be most efficient in the amount of time I spend in brainstorming and completing assignments and tasks. Essentially, I am looking for a class that will further prepare me for the type of writing and research I will be doing in the work environment.

Some of my favorite activities include snowboarding, watching sports, going to concerts and live performances and getting involved on campus. Some of my involvements include three years as a resident advisor, involvement with student government (Associated Students), member of Alpha Phi Omega and treasurer for PRSSA.

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