Blog #18

Part 2:
Research Questions:
What are the effective programs in San Diego that help keep the waters clean?
How can we help keep our water programs up and going so that our beaches can stay clean in the future?

Resources:
*Video Camera: for footage on clean water programs (Point Loma wastewater facility, and other water cleaning facilities that I will research)
*Voice recorder: interviews on Project Clean Water representatives, water cleaning facilities people, City representatives, etc.
*Camera: take pictures of equipment, the facilities, to produce good quality photos for the video or article i plan on doing
*Computer: Video editing/article which ever i decide to do
*Transportation: to get to where i need to go

People needed:
* I have not yet scheduled and researched who exactly i need to contact but i will get this up as soon as possible. I'll contact the facilities and see what information they can provide me
* City council, Representatives from the city of San Diego

Questions:
(Representatives of the Facilities)
* How long has this foundation treated ocean water? When did it start?
* Quality of the water before it enters the treatment then after? Examples

Beach Project Research Quesitons

What different programs are there in San Diego that help keep the waters clean?

I found a really useful website about all the different water programs in San Diego country. They offer graphs and maps and other useful info that are reliable and I think that this website should be the main website that our class should look at.
http://www.projectcleanwater.org/index.html

The website provides reports from different years and different areas of San Diego and the water quality. I'm planning on using this website so that i can produce an article on all different aspects of Project Clean Water like the different water programs, how they affect the beaches and the water, what technology they use, how they actually use it to keep the water clean, etc.

This website also provides the Laws of the beaches here in San Diego county and i think it would be helpful for everyone in the class. Here's the link that provides the laws and regulations of the different areas of San Diego:

http://www.projectcleanwater.org/html/current-law.html

The information below is just a little document that i found stating the areas and major impacts around it. I choose the area around our HTHMA just as an example. This is an example of what the website provides.

Hydrologic Unit 908.10 - 908.32
Hydrologic Areas:
Point Loma 908.1
San Diego Mesa 908.2
National City 908.3
Major Water Bodies: Chollas Creek, Paleta Creek, and San Diego Bay
CWA 303(d) List:
Chollas Creek: copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, coliform bacteria, stormwater toxicity San Diego Bay: coliform bacteria, benthic community effects, copper, sediment toxicity (discharges from several source basins contribute to impairments)
Major Impacts: Surface water quality degradation, habitat degradation, sediment toxicity in San Diego Bay, and sewer overflows
Constituents of Concern: trace metals and other toxic substances, and coliform bacteria
Sources / Activities: urban runoff

How can we help keep our water programs up and going so that our beaches can stay clean in the future?

Once again the website above provides this information for this research question. This link provides the different programs and shows what you can do to help out. It gives you different ways to take action and it provides contact info so that it's easy to participate. It offers dates for meetings and other things along that area.

Here's a few programs:

STUDIES, INFORMATION, & WORK PRODUCTS
Regional Workgroup and sub-workgroup Assignment FY 2008-09 (July 2008)
Updated Model SUSMP Presentation (July 2008)
Regional Strategy for the Regulation of Mobile Businesses presentation (November 2007)
Potential Regional Infrastructure Investments – SANDAG presentation (November 2007)
2007 Wildfires: Impacts to Copermittee Programs presentation (November 2007)
Regional Residential Education Program Update (September 2007)
Integrated Regional Watershed Management Plan Update (September 2007)
Regional Reporting and Assessment Standards Update (September 2007)
Proposed Fiscal Year 2007-08 Regional Shared Costs presentation (March 2007)
San Diego IRWM Plan Overview presentation (July 2006)
Vector - Stormwater Presentation (November, 2006)
Fire Sprinkler Discharge presentation (July 2006)
Porous Pavement and Model Municipal Operations Center Grant presentation (July 2006)
City of Poway, Structural BMPs (July 2006)
2004-2005 Regional Urban Runoff Monitoring Program Update (March 16, 2006)
Monitoring Program Redesign, 2006 Permit Draft (ROWD Submittal Information) (March 16, 2006)
Common Ground Website Introduction Presentation (January 19, 2006) As see the demonstration website @ www.sdbay.sdsu.edu.
2003-2004 Regional Urban Runoff Monitoring Program Update (March 17, 2005)
UC Coop's IPM presentation (March 17, 2005)
Alliance for Compliance Presentation (July 22, 2004)

I'm actually planning to provide flyers maybe advertise so that i can spread the word of the programs and how to help keep our waters in San Diego clean. I feel as if i can actually have an impact by spreading around information and i plan to do more research that i can provide the community.

Newspaper Reflection

In my opinion,I felt as if our groups newspaper came out average. Compared to all the other work submitted, our newspaper was almost the same as the other ones. If I had a chance to go back and change things the first thing I would do is get our group to do all the work early so that no one would be stressing out on the last minute. If we finished our articles on time we could have all processed a better written article.
On my behalf, I think my work could have been a little more professional. I worked on Abraham Lincoln's views and idea's on the 2nd debate. I wrote that article on my own and i felt as if i took good quotes from the transcripts and expanded on the quotes and my writing came out realistic though less professional. My article flowed with all of our groups other articles. We all had different views on different stand points of the debate. When we actually did put all of our work together it came out decent.

Guidelines for Photography

1. Rule of thirds:

http://www.dosize.com/tips-digital-photo-images-1.php

I think that the Rule of thirds gives the picture more essence and feeling. You obviously know whats the main object of the portrait but then again it makes you take a look around instead of focusing your eyes onto one spot. As Randy said in class the picture has a background as well as a foreground.

2. Depth of field

http://www.dosize.com/tips-digital-photo-images-1.php

I don't clearly understand the use of depth of the field but in my opinion i feel as if you should have the background of a picture as in depth as possible making the picture more eye pleasing.

3. Eyes, Color, Fill the frame

http://www.dosize.com/tips-digital-photo-images-1.php
This rule is used in more of a picture with a main object. To give your picture more meaning the eyes of the object must be present because that is one of the first things an audience would look at. Your portrait also must fill up the whole space. You shouldn't have a huge background and your object tiny because it would suck up all the flow of the picture.

4. Shooting at eye level

http://www.dosize.com/tips-digital-photo-images-1.php

This rule, i think, is the most important rule. You should take a picture of an object at the object's eye level. It would give your picture a sense of character and individuality. Instead of giving the usual human eye level you should be at the dog's so that you would see a portrait that you would usually see every day.

Racism in Today's Modern World

School these days weren't anything near as close as the schools back in the Civil War. During the Civil War schools were segregated and racism was at it's high.

Back then during the Civil War schools were segregated, which meant they separated the schools by race, Whites & Blacks. It was the law back then but now a days schools aren't segregated thanks to the certain people in history for instance Abraham Lincoln, Fredrick Douglas, and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, also the Brown vs. the Board Of Education case. It was stated in both those cases were presented with the "separated but equal" statement. It meant that though everyone was separated by race or color everyone is equal and should be treated equally, which eventually led to the end of segregation in schools. Though schools were integrated back then racism still existed through out the world until today.

Schools may be integrated but racism still exists

I found this article about parents in the Alabama School District claimed that the African American students were victims of racism in schools. The parents filed a lawsuit on the school board for alleged racism. Under is a statement found in the article stating the lawsuit filed.
------------------------------------------
The lawsuit says black students at the county's only public junior high have been called slurs such as the "N-word," "filthy trash" and "black monkey." Their parents also say classes are segregated, with most black students being kept out of advanced placement and honors courses.
------------------------------------------

In my opinion I do think that racism does exist now and I believe that is so because that our history was written upon it. Looking back in American history you can see all the different events and how racism played a part then and how it plays a part in toady's world. Though I highly encourage non-racism i still feel as if the world cannot change how America was built which in my opinion built on racism. Back then it was more racism between African-American and the whites I feel that now it has expanded from all races and all types of discrimination has occurred. There is no definite way to abolish or end racism but the closest thing is toleration. As my trip in tenth grade to the Museum of Tolerance, I have learned that prejudice and discrimination has been going on for ages and the only way to cease the rate is to tolerate it.

Jim Crow Laws Affected How Society is Today

The Jim Crow Laws affected how society is today because it was basically the start of segregation. All the laws consits of what the whites can do that other races can't. For instance:

“Separate free schools shall be established for the education of children of African descent; and it shall be unlawful for any colored child to attend any white school, or any white child to attend a colored school.” “Marriages are void when one party is a white person and the other is possessed of one-eighth or more negro, Japanese, or Chinese blood.”

The Jim Crow Laws were a perfect example for racism in Civil War Era America, now those laws are ablolished but still affected those living today. The Jim Crow laws were changed during the time when things in society were being integrated like schools, factories, etc. Cases like the Plessy vs. Ferguson and the Brown vs. the Board Of Education changed our modern day society as a multi-race, multi-cultural country.

The past wrote itself in a way that can't be forgotten. Racism now aren't as harsh as they were back in the day but believe me it still exists.

Sources:
Brown Vs Board of Education Digital Documents & Photographs Project. (n.d.). Retrieved Oct. 1, 2008, from http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/dl/Civil_Rights_BrownvsBoE/BrownvsBOEfiles.html.

Jim Crow Laws - Separate Is Not Equal. (n.d.). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2008, from http://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/detail/jim-crow-laws.html.

Racism claimed at Alabama school - Education - MSNBC.com. (2008, May 25). Retrieved Oct. 1, 2008, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24809995/.

Reid, M. (n.d.). Resegregation Nation: The Proud Future of American Schools on Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Retrieved Oct. 2, 2008, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikhaela/656443055/.

My Own Federal Privacy Law

Blogicon Reflection

1.What are you most proud of in your blog? Why?
- The thing I'm most proud of is the way I organized each entry on the page. I like how it's so easy to navigate and makes it easy for the reader to find things because it actually is organized. I thought it would be easier to have every blog in some type of layout so the reader will notice the similarities in every blog so it would be a lot easier for everyone to read. If you noticed I first put a kind of multimedia to show a connection to the article, then the link to the article following by the summaries and the connections.
- I am also proud of my blog because it was put up on the screen during blogicon. It was said that my blog was "entertaining" because how there were many different topics in my entries. It was said that my blogs come from various viewpoints and topics and i think that's something to be proud of because if i were a reader i would want to be entertained wouldn't you?

2.What will you improve during future blogs? Why? How?
- Though my entries were very organized and were from various topics i would've found it helpful if i put extra links and extra articles depending on each blog topic. In the future i think at the end of every article i would maybe add different stories pertaining to each topic so that if the readers are interested they can just read other stories. I would think that this will actually lead the reader to actually care more and to actually think about the topics thus they will read more and do more research.
- I think that though i gave enough information of the topic and the connection to the lessons we covered in class. On the other hand i can improve my actually thoughts and reflection on each entry and article. It would show the reader my viewpoint and what i think about the article after all it is my blog and i should expand more on my thoughts.

3.How can we better connect the our blogs?
- In my opinion it would be pretty cool to actually set up our own website or a web page,[that we can link up to our DPs], that has the whole classes blog entries depending on different topics and articles, etc. It would be a lot easier to browse around and maybe comment on each others blogs and spread the web page around the community so that others can view the class's blogs.

McCain Low-Blow

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/off_base_on_sex_ed.html

Off Base on Sex Ed
September 10, 2008
Updated: September 18, 2008

A McCain campaign ad claims Obama's "one accomplishment" was a bill to teach sex ed to kindergarten kids. Don't believe it.

Summary:

Basically John McCain set out this commercial about a statement that Obama's "one accomplishment" was to teach kindergartners sexual education. Above is the campaign that was shown on TV. The thing is that McCain took what Obama said and twisted it to make him look bad. That was a low blow. What Obama actually said was that "it’s the right thing to do ... to provide age-appropriate sex education, science-based sex education in schools." Another statement that this campaign said was that it was "Obamas only accomplishment." Once again thats not true.

"He was a co-sponsor of what became the Chicago Education Reform Act of 2003, which allowed for an increase in the number of Chicago charter schools and required the Chicago Board of Education to enter into a formal partnership with the Chicago Teachers Union to advance the Chicago Public Schools to the next level of education reform. He was also a co-sponsor of a bipartisan bill to help Illinois high school graduates be eligible for in-state college tuition rates even if they weren't U.S. citizens." -FactCheck

Reflection:

I personally think that McCain threw a low blow. Putting up false information like that would be costley because he's running for president. If he puts out those kind of things its bad for his reputation.

Stock Market

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/16/news/companies/AIG/index.htm?cnn=yes
Fed in AIG rescue - $85B loan
Government response reaches dramatic new level: U.S. will take 80% stake in nation's largest insurer to prevent global financial chaos. By Tami Luhby, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: September 16, 2008: 11:16 PM EDT

Summary:
Basically AIG filed for bankruptcy and the government gave them an $85Billion loan to rescue the company.

Connection:
This article has something to do with the current stock market and how it goes up and down. I see this as the company falling dramatically and the government steps in to do something about it because they feel as if this company is important and that if there was no taken action that it might do some damage to the economy.

Advice to Government:
I feel that they should actually be taking action and i feel that they are in the right path. The government should maybe raise the value of money so that our own country's economy would maybe boost. I feel as if all this responsibility lies on the government and they should do what it takes to actually help our country so that another Great Depression is being stopped from happening.

T.O Talks

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26663116/
T.O. takes shots at McNabb ahead of meeting
'Donovan would have a hard time admitting I made him a better QB'
NBCSports.com news services
updated 1:59 p.m. PT, Thurs., Sept. 11, 2008

Summary:
Basically this is the definition of an athlete who talks too much. Terrell Owens (T.O), in a press conference, fires words at old quarterback Donovan McNabb. He starts talking a lot of trash saying things like "The fans and just the excitement of me coming there and being there, it became too overwhelming for Donovan,""I will say that Donovan made me a better receiver in Philadelphia, but I think Donovan would have a hard time admitting I made him a better quarterback."

Connection:
This article goes with my American icon reflection. I wrote in my paper that i don't want to end up as the athletes who are all talk and take their fame and talent for granted. I don't want to be that kid of person i want to lean towards whats good and to use my talent for good.

Reflection:
Ladianian Tomlinson is no doubt one of those athletes who play for the right reasons. He doesn't say anything stupid. He doesn't talk trash and he is very humble. I'm trying to set my priorities to that way and i feel that i am succeeding. I don't like to talk trash much and i play with all my heart and i strive to do whats best. Unlike T.O, L.T opens charities and hold events to help those who are less fortunate.

'o8 Election Turns Into Neck To Neck Race!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26625154/
NBC/WSJ Poll: '08 race turns into a dead heat
Barack Obama holds a narrow one-point lead over John McCain
By Mark Murray
Deputy political director
NBC News updated 4:15 p.m. PT, Tues., Sept. 9, 2008

Summary:
Basically the title summarizes the whole article. Barack Obama holds a narrow lead against John McCain. Meaning that the 'o8 election is going to be pretty close. I don't really want to go into detail much because politics isn't my favorite topic.

Connection:
We only covered the federalist papers for homework so I haven't gathered enough information on the anti-federalist papers but basically i thought that the only thing that has to do with federalists is the election. I remember reading about Democrats and Republicans in the federalist paper #10 for homework. I cant tell if there is a connection between the two parties Democrats vs Republicans but this is as close as i can possibly make it. Everything that has to do with politics and government rely on ideas in the federalist papers i believe.

Reflection:
As i said before i really really have no interest in U.S politics so I'm clueless when it comes to news but i felt that i found a very strong idea and connection between the politics today and the federalist papers. I based my blog on the little knowledge that i possessed at the time. Still i feel that i made a good point and hopefully I'm not way off the topic with the article i chose.

Mayor Villaraigosa Protecting L.A Education

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schools3-2008sep03,0,7515928.story
Mayor Villaraigosa has high hopes for his schools
By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 3, 2008

Summary:
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa basically vowed to raise the rate of academic improvement in local public schools in Los Angeles. As the title of the article says that he has high hopes for his schools, he basically said that he has no doubt that he can double the rate of academic improvement. He decided to take 10 of the most poorest-performing facilities and he hopes to put in enough effort for the schools to make a change.

Connection:
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness is the concept of the Declaration of Independence. We learned in class that that above is considered the human rights. Rights that you are born with and that no one in the worlds should be able to take away from you. I think that John Locke's concept is used again in this article. His concept of "Social Contract" plays another part in this even. The mayor was the one person who took action to protect the human rights of the youth today. He basically is protecting and leading the students to life and the pursuit of happiness. By taking action and putting effort into these schools that need the help of the city. By giving them a good education they are in the right direction to setting up their life in the future.

Response:
I believe the mayor is doing the right thing by helping the youth to improve their education. The youth definitely is the future of the world and everyone should be entitled to an education so that they can do what they can to be successful in life. Which i think should be a natural right though Pursuit of Happiness lies real close to the lines of that concept. The mayor of Los Angeles helped those who are struggling and for that i believe that he is doing the right thing.

Inglewood Police

Click Here For Full Article

Inglewood orders sweeping evaluation of police training
By Andrew Blankstein and Ari B. Bloomekatz, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
7:29 PM PDT, September 4, 2008

Summary:
This article was about an incident not too long after a couple officer-involved shootings happened in Inglewood, California. Inglewood city leaders had advised a sweep on the local police departments so they can evaluate the police academy training and make some kind of changes so that the rate of the incidents drop.

Connection:
A topic we studied in class was Locke's belief in "Social Contract" where the citizens themselves have some mutual agreement where they allow the government to take action so they can protect their natural rights. I believe that the people reacted to the incidents in which the Inglewood city leaders took action to protect the people's natural rights. In this case protecting there natural right to life.

Response:
I do feel that this event covers the "Social Contract" idea. The deaths of the people who were in the incident were taken into thought and the police department training were involved. The city leaders made the right choice to do an evaluation sweep on local police so they can change the training and the actions of the police to protect the natural lives of these people. I found it surprising that just in the last couple months that there were deaths all involving the police and I do understand that they are doing there job to protect but shouldn't there be boundaries?