Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Copy Edit the World #3 (8 pts total)

1. 4.4% should be spelled out, it is inconsistent with the article. Sometimes they spell it out and sometimes use the symbol. (2 pts)

2. 9 am should be 9 a.m. (2 pts)

3. Percent should be after "Bandipora 2.3" . The whole sentence includes percent after each figure except that one. (2 pts)

4. The correct abbreviation for government is Gov. not Govt (2 pts)




Copy Edit the World (10 pts)

1. The lead is way too long. (2 pts)
 2. Wedding should be marriage (2pts)


https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/oops-hayden-panettiere-takes-a-tumble-on-tricky-met-gala-red-carpet-192024346.html

3. "is that" should be replaced with (because). (2 pts)


 http://www.theconfessionsofahairstylist.com


4. 100% should be spelled out to read (100 percent). (2pts)
http://www.theconfessionsofahairstylist.com

5. There should be a comma after "person". (2pts)
    Instead should be lowercase. (2pts)


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Japanese Interment Memorial Essay


The US government ordered the Japanese interment shortly after the Japan attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1942. All Japanese who lived on the West Coast were forced to go to camps including the 62 percent that were American citizens. President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the interment with Executive Order 9066, which was issued February 19, 1942. The order allowed the military commanders to designate “military areas” and “restricted zones” which anyone could be excluded from. Over 120,000 people were forced into the camps.

Ruth Asawa, a Japanese American sculptor, was relocated into the camps as a child. One of her well-known sculptures is the bronze San Jose American Internment Memorial located on 280 S. First St., San Jose, Calif.
The sculpture was presented to the public in 1994 and featured important events, one in which was the signing of the congressional legislation. The sculpture itself looks really cool. I love the way she made the events into a collage to give a since of what it was like. There are snapshots of history throughout each vignette.
One side of the sculpture pictorially illustrates the background of the Japanese American life and what it was like for them. It shows them working on the fields, children in classrooms, driving tractors and many other activities. One section that stuck out to me the most is watching a guy holding a large box as he walks away from the field. This reminded me of my own history and the effects field work had on my own culture. He seems like a very hard working person and the people around him are so concentrated on their work that they don’t even look up as he passes.
The second side of the sculpture shows the Japanese Americans being relocated forcefully. There are pictures of the people being forced on trains with family members. The looks on their faces are pure heartbreak and disbelief. Within the camps, people often died from lack of healthcare and mal nutrition. Within this collage, I could see the guards pushing people around, forcing them to follow orders and treating them like live stock. The part that stuck out to me the most is how the guards are treating the people. They have weapons pointed at them with really mean faces. People should never be treated like this and it’s sad that history shows Americans have done this on many occasions.
Unfortunately, I do believe this could happen again in America. I’d like to think we are growing as a nation and becoming more diverse, but with all of the discrimination and racism still present, it could very well happen again. An example of this is the way we treated people who wore turbans after the 911 attacks. It may not have been to this extent but it just shows the deep-rooted mentality is still the same. I believe the future will be a bit brighter for us all. 50 percent of Americans will be of mixed races by 2050. Before we know it, we will all be a melting pot of nationalities and racism will slowly die.
Word Count: 520





Sunday, April 27, 2014

Word of the Week #10


1.     Word: Maligned
2.     Found: “For much of his career, Vince Carter has been maligned as a star with near-limitless talent but little heart.”
3.     Definitionspeak about (someone) in a spitefully critical manner.
4.     Part of Speech: Verb
5.     Sentence: The coach was maligned as a loving businessman with a sense of favoritism among non African American teammates.

Citation: Bibliography: Yahoo Sports, (2014). Vince Carter's buzzer-beater 3 winner takes Game 3 for Mavericks over Spurs (Video). [online] Available at: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/vince-carter-s-buzzer-beater-3-winner-takes-game-3-for-mavericks-over-spurs--video-000016271.html [Accessed 27 Apr. 2014].

Progress Report Memo


Date: April 17, 2014
To: Mcom 100W
From: Rhyan Guidry
Re: Progress Report Memo

For my final feature trend story I plan to discuss the natural hair movement in America through the eyes of naturalistas and discuss the benefits of natural products. I plan to tailor this story for magazines such as Ebony, Essence, Hype Hair, and many others. The target is to promote the benefits of natural hair care and highlight some infamous hair care gurus throughout social media including YouTube, Facebook and various blogging sites. 

So far, I have contacted nine hair care gurus on YouTube and am waiting for an email response. They are all successfully making money via YouTube from their reviews of different natural products. One in particular is “Naptural85”. She created her YouTube channel over four years ago. She has various videos of her hair journey, how she makes homemade natural products, and what it took to transition from thin relaxed hair to the luscious hair she has today.

I have also scheduled an interview with a hairstylist in Riverside County who plans to start selling her homemade deep conditioner, one in which I’ve used for years. I may use her story as a sidebar for the assignment. She dominates a very large portion of the market in Beaumont and Banning California and would have many tips of how to achieve shine in dull over processed hair.

The final trend story will cover the uprising of the Natural Hair Movement by highlighting the benefits of natural hair products. Interviews from various hair care gurus on social media will encourage the reader through their own journey and assist with obtaining knowledge about the transition journey. 

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Fish Out of Water


On April 22, 2014 I attended an open mic night in downtown San Francisco for the first time. I have always avoided places like this because they make me feel uncomfortable. The discomfort all began in middle school during a “creative segment” in my 7th grade English class. We were instructed to write a poem on a topic of our choice. This seems all too easy except I couldn’t figure out what to write about. The assignment haunted me. I was surrounded by highly creative and talented writers, which made the anxiety of performing my own piece of literature very unsettling. Since then, I have avoided any experience that may bring back the memory of my middle school experience.

For those who aren’t aware of what goes on at an open mic night, here is a brief run down. Before attending, I had no idea what to expect. Apparently they often take place in a dark candle lit room, with a stage and one mic placed in the center. There is often a DJ in the corner to play music between acts and assist with performances. Many of the people that attend go up on the stage and present a poem or song of their choice.

When I first arrived, I was shocked to see how intimate the setting was. I went with 3 friends for moral support and so I didn’t feel alone in the middle of the city. One of my friends makes music on his spare time and thought it would be a great opportunity to perform. The room had about 15 chairs, one mic, and a DJ in the corner. The first performer shared a poem he wrote about peeing in the bed. I didn’t realize poems could literally be about anything and still be considered artistic.

My palms were sweaty, heart racing, and I just felt an overall feeling of discomfort. Some performances were really wild and shocking, while others were soothing and nice to listen to. One guy went up to the mic and began screaming as the DJ played an underground rap track. It didn’t make sense but somehow people still enjoyed it. My favorite performance was by a girl named Mya. She sang her own version of “Déjà vu” by Beyonce. It was a nice experience and completely different than I expected.

Overall the experience was nice. I can’t say I would go again because it was not something I’m interested in. Maybe if I liked performing or wrote poetry I would appreciate it more. I don’t mind attending performances but this setting was too intimate and seemed weird if you go without contributing. For someone who would like to attend something like this, the bar was a nice addition to the atmosphere. The people were very inviting and open to having new guests. As a word of advise, I would come prepared with a poem or some sort of song to perform so that others feel more comfortable with your attendance.


Saturday, April 12, 2014

IMHO: Natural Corporate America



The insecurities associated with African American women and natural hair in corporate America has been a difficult topic of discussion for decades. Women often feel uncomfortable wearing their hair in its natural state because of the various comments from co-workers, the idea their work ethic will become unseen due to the political connection with natural hairstyles, and the pure feeling of appearing different from fellow co-workers. I would like to believe America has progressed since the times of segregation and the Black Power Movement when dealing with equality in the work place.
While reading an article on The Huffington Post, Author Julee Wilson discussed a panel meeting about the effects of wearing natural hair in the work place. Most women in on the panel believed their hair had an impact on the promotions or lack there of due to the decision to wear their hair in its natural state. This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I believe as an American, we have culturally advanced far too much to consider a hairstyle when deciding who should receive advancements at work.
One interview however opened my eyes to a new perspective. Author Luke Visconti posed the question to a white male, unidentified, if he believes “Blacks” should relax their hair to get promoted. The answers Visconti gave were not only enlightening but allow the concerned women to look deep within them to see what the rooted issue really is. Visconti made a great point by stating “Since white men run most corporations in this country, straightened hair and/or lighter skin is going to be an advantage (disturbing, but let’s keep it real),” –Unidentified White Guy. This is a statement we all can identify with and agree to. Although it is unfortunate, it still holds true in almost every aspect of life. As humans, we tend to gravitate to the familiar or things we can understand. The article was a great read and I believe it is up to African American to expose America to the changes they wish to see, as they have been doing with the recent Natural Hair Movement.



Bibliography: DiversityInc, (2012). Ask the White Guy: Do Blacks Need to Relax Their Natural Hair to Get Promoted? - DiversityInc. [online] Available at: http://www.diversityinc.com/ask-the-white-guy/do-blacks-need-to-relax-their-natural-hair-to-get-promoted/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2014].

Bibliography: Wilson, J. (2014). Work Vs. Hair. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/black-women-natural-hair-at-the-workplace_n_2811056.html [Accessed 2 Apr. 2014].