Sympathy for the Betrayed in Politics

Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of Sen. John Edwards due to his affair with his former videographer, died today after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.

An article on CNN.com was written shortly after her death telling a story of her life, including the time when she struggled with her husband's affair which led to the birth of a son by her husband with another woman.

Though her story is tragic, and her character was well known and well loved on the political scene, I can only wonder if I would have the same feelings reading this article if she had not been one of the many 'betrayed wives of politics'.

If she had just been any other wife to a senator who had lost a presidential campaign, would we, the public, recognize her as the moral hero that we do?

She was betrayed by someone in our public eye...someone who was hoping to lead our country.

The affair led to the couple's separation leaving the reader to feel even more sympathy for her at her death--she not only had to struggle through a long battle with cancer without her husband, but she had to die without him as well.

Elizabeth was certainly the one who came out "smelling like a rose" (so to speak) through all of this, and yet she is the one who is now lost.

We not only have sympathy for her at her death after her long fight with cancer, but we also have the added layer of sympathy for her after she was betrayed.

Rest in Peace, Elizabeth Edwards. I certainly hope that John realizes now, more than ever, how much you should, and will, be missed.

Read more...

New Facebook design emphasizes photos

Facebook experienced a huge overhaul earlier this week giving user's pages a significant new look.

I had no idea that Facebook was coming out with the new design until I watched the 60 Minutes episode on December 5, the night of the transition. Facebook found that it's users greatly enjoy photos and the new design put a focus on photos.

Facebook has undergone mild to moderate changes in the past, but this most resent upgrade was quite substantial. I've seen frustration with users using the new Facebook and during slight changes as well. I think the main reason why users get frustrated is simply because it is different from what they are accustomed to. Examples of changes in years past are the inclusion of "Top News" and "Recent Activity" along with "Friendship pages" and the use of geolocation.

This newest upgrade goes all out in making profiles loaded with photos. User photos are significantly larger in the new design and are shifted horizontally in a row where the "Wall" and "Info" tabs once were. Don't be frightened, because you can still find those tabs underneath the person's profile picture. Right above the row of photos is where you'll see the user's information, as in their birthday, and where they reside for example.

The "Send message" and "Poke" buttons have also found a new home located on the upper right hand corner of the top of the page. Also new, is a list of ten friends streaming down the left side of the page.

Overall, I am definitely pleased with the update, I find it convenient and have not gotten frustrated at all. I really enjoy being able to take photos and video from my web cam and having it posted right then and there.

If you are unsure if you want the upgrade be sure to take a glance at the pages of your friends that have already converted, because there is no turning back.

Read more...

Internships before entry-level jobs

As students we're all anxious to get out there in the world and get our first "real job".

However, according to a CNN article it's not that simple anymore. It's hard to even get that entry level job.

These days most students aren't graduating and going straight to that first job. Instead they are getting internships.

Surprising? I know. During the low point in our economy companies would only come to college looking to fill internships, not jobs.

Then when you graduate it's almost impossible for some to get a job. The entry-level job market is super competitive with fewer jobs and the same amount of graduates each year.

Back when our parents were all in college an internship wasn't a must like it is now. Now-a-days internships are the first time that students enter the work field.

So, if you can't get a job right away don't fear there are other things you can do to stay active. First off network, network, network! Sometimes it's not what you know but who you know.

While networking you should be doing something to keep active. Get a temporary job to pay the bills while you look. Also it's smart to get internships.

All of this shows that it's better to be actively working towards that entry level job than sitting at home complaining to your parents.

If you think internships are a joke, you're wrong! It's very important to think hard about which internship to choose that will help in your future careers.

Remember, quality over quality. It won't matter if you get fifteen internships but it will matter if you get a few good internships.

Internships and job shadowing are both helpful in that they let you see what it is actually like. Through these experiences one can learn what they like to do and what they hate to do.

Make sure you're showing your future employers your skills in a way that will make them want to hire you.

And if all else fails you can start a blog about not getting a real job like the three ladies who started The Eternal Intern. It's actually quite interesting.

Read more...

Make an Impression in your Interview

Journalism and communications majors are increasing becoming a popular academic choice for undergraduate students in college campuses across the nation. According to The Princeton Review, communications studies sits at number eight out of the top 10 college majors with the best opportunities to succeed. That being said, a number of young journalists seek to enter the professional world of journalism fresh out of college, ready to embark on their career-adventure.

With the job market competition rising in nearly every field, student will have to work extra hard to stand out to potential employers.

In addition to having an impressive resume and an online/social media awareness and presence, students need to posses a variety of skills in video, broadcasting/sound, strong writing, photography and design.

But most importantly, a student looking for a job in journalism needs to have the interpersonal qualities and personality that will help them stand out in an interview.

Sometimes, employers get blessed with having a multitude of qualified candidates to choose from for an opening position. If that's the case, it may only take a minor infraction to get dismissed from a job opportunity. It may come down to likeability or how well you answer questions...even how you dress could make or break landing that first job in journalism.

So here's five simple things to keep in mind going in to your first interview as a student journalist:

1. Dress for success - It may sound corny, but it's true. Dress like you want to be taken seriously. No jeans. No tennis shoes. If you want to be a professional, you've got to start acting like one. It shows confidence, and that's an attractive quality in a young candidate.

2. Do your homework - Know the company you are applying to work for. It shows your potential employers that you're on top of your game and that you care about this job offer. Find out as much as you can, through a website or word of mouth, and ask questions about anything you don't know.

3. Ask questions - People in the journalism field are by nature, curious. If you ask questions, it shows that you're someone who wants the job, and ultimately is the job. Journalists focus their lives on finding the story in everything, so why not start in your first interview?

4. Show them what you have to offer - As mentioned previously, journalists need to have a pretty large skill set in their tool box in order to cut it in the profession. But if you're really talented in one area/medium, prove it. Put together a strong portfolio of your work to highlight your talents and make that the emphasis in your interview. You never know what employers are looking for, and you might have something unique to offer over the other candidates.

5. Bring the right attitude - There's a fine line between confidence and cocky. Don't assume you've got an interview in the bag. Confidence is a large part of the interview, but so is likeability and positive personality traits. Those are things that are going to make people want to work with you, which will ultimately enhance your credibility and reputation as a journalist.

A strong skill set and sense of awareness can compliment a good resume and work history...but nothing can make or break a job opportunity like an interview. With these ideas in mind, go into your next interview for a job in journalism, or any field, knowing that you did everything that you could to present yourself as the best possible candidate.

Read more...

PostPost Facebook Newspaper

PostPost is a recent launch by a company called Tiger Logic. It is through Facebook. The article I readcalls it a real-time " social newspaper." What does it consist of?

The PostPost consists of videos, photos, and links that you create on Facebook and share with your friends. Which becomes a news source when talking about social media.

PostPost takes your news feed and makes it look like an actual news paper site. There is different videos to click on and displays the different events people are participating in. It does not look like your news feed on Facebook. I would say it looks more professional.

It also, shows the recent pages you have liked towards the top of PostPost.
This site makes it easier for users to switch from different sections like from photos to videos. Whatever they are wanting to view at the time.

PostPost is said to be along the same lines as Pulse which is a mobile app and Flipboard which is used on the iPad. The difference between these is that PostPost is accessed on the web browser.


This video below introduces PostPost.




No this is not an "actual newspaper" with the news of politics and the articles you commonly read in a daily newspaper. Unless these are the types of videos and links you and your friends are talking about.

I see it more as the links and videos you view as news and want to s hare with your friends. Such as the fight at the NBA game or what the new style is for the week. These may be in news papers, but not as likely main topics.

This is like a newspaper that can relate to what you like to read and hear about while sharing with your friends.

I don't know everything about the new application to Facebook so I may be taking it the wrong way, but it is the understanding I have received from the article and the YouTube video.

Overall I feel it is a great addition to Facebook and will be a fun and different way of sharing social media throughout you and your friends.

Read more...

Inadequate Journalism Needs WikiLeaks

After the release of 250,000 diplomatic documents on Nov. 28 and the commotion generated in the media by WikiLeaks, Julian Assange has exposed the need to improve journalism.

James Moore, writer for the Huffington Post, explained in his article the reason why he denies the fact that Assanges' "leaks" and "incorrectness" generated the governmental outrage seen throughout the media.

"There is a very simple reason WikiLeaks has sent a furious storm of outrage across the globe: the public is uninformed because of inadequate journalism," Moore said.

By inadequate journalism, Moore refers to the lack of details on government news reports, the lack of objectivity in the newsroom and the lack of coverage on international matters; all contributing to the delay of information for people who often ask themselves "how did such messes end up being such messes?".

"If journalism were functioning at appropriate levels, there would have been stories that contained information leaked in the cables now published around the globe," Moore said.

Moore argues that journalism will soon become even more endangered, thus, he believes WikiLeaks has the potential to become the source of information capable of inquiring upon secret government endeavors and challenging government pressure.

This is certainly an important moment for journalism as many oppose WikiLeaks' actions, while others strongly support its objectives.

If WikiLeaks had not been created and all the leaked documents and videos had been given directly to news organizations, it would be interesting to know how many of them would actually accept or reject to publish such controversial documents.

As a mere opinion, I really don't think the New York Times, the Guardian, or any other well-known news organization would like to face the same issues Wikileaks is facing.

Read more...