Philly Summer Fun With the Kids!

There are lots of things for children and families to do in Philadelphia. During the summer, children are off from school because most schools are on a 9 month curriculum. So whether the children are babies or teens, or in camp or not, most likely you'll need some fresh ideas to keep them busy. Here is a screencast with my suggestions of family activities. Happy Summer!

A Review and Commentary of “Journalism Next” by Mark Briggs

I would like to start off by simply stating: this book is great! This book is great because not only is a step-by-step guide for journalist who need to learn how to maneuver in today’s web-based media society, but it also serves as a major boost of morale for those who are going into a field that by many has been declared “dead” and not lucrative. My own family members warn me about taking up journalism as a major. They say, “Haven’t you seen the news? All the major newspapers are going bankrupt! Why not become an English Major?” To tell the truth, before, reading Journalism Next, I was starting to consider their suggestions.

The foreword was written by Jennifer Sizemore, a veteran journalist who embraced Web 2.0 journalism, and is now vice-president of MSNBC.com. She described the digitization of journalism as not a burden that must be dealt with, but rather as a revolution that will ultimately save the face of journalism and take it back to its original purpose: to serve the community. Sizemore’s first proving moment of this was when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Her news team created a blog template to which each journalist was constantly adding new stories and updating old ones. Perhaps their biggest contribution was the “lost and found” message boards for families that were disconnected from their loved ones. This was up-to-the-minute news reporting. This “real-time” reporting is something that now in 2011, we have come to not only appreciate, but to automatically expect.

Briggs explains to journalists that although Web 2.0 journalism is liberating, there is also a large degree of responsibility and internet know-how that is imperative to becoming successful in the field. He breaks down the working of HTML, reminding us that the old days of just being a “good writer” just won’t be enough in the information age. HTML is web-page code, the information needed to tell a server how to display paragraphs, pictures, text, template and whatever else is on a particular site. In our CIT198 class, we had exposure to HTML codes while writing our blogs. On the “edit” page, you can either edit in “HTML” or “compose.” The compose option allows you to post without bothering with the HTML codes. After reading this book I started to analyze what my blog looked like in HTML. For instance, <p> is the tag used at the beginning and end of a paragraph, and the tags, <b>letter<b> makes a letter bold.

Another revolutionary change in journalism is “linking.” Just as we learned in our CIT198 class, linking our blogs to other sources adds both credibility and versatility to our work. In former years, it was preposterous to send a reader to the competition or any other related material, for fear that they would not return to the original source. But that thinking is outdated. Briggs uses Google as an example, “All Google does is send people away from itself. And all people do is come back.” (p. 82)

“Microblogging: Write Small, Think Big” was one of my favorite chapters. The term microblogging was new to me, yet I unbeknownst to me I have been doing it for a few years already through Twitter and Facebook. At the time this book was written in 2009, the New York Times had 900,000 followers on Twitter, and as of today, @nytimes has over 3 million followers! So that goes to show, the news is very much in demand, we just have to find creative ways to deliver it. For any of us that have Twitter accounts, we know that you have to get your opinion out to the world in 140 characters or less. As a writer, I found this to be very challenging, but a good journalist loves a challenge. I wanted to publicize my blogs in an interesting way that would attract readers and hopefully also followers. After hundreds of posts with little success, (to my 846 Twitter followers @dig4knowledge) I learned from Journalism Next that it’s not always about just publicizing your blog post and constantly posting a link. It’s about community participation: ask your followers a question, and answer their questions. Just a link, with no personal connection is simply not good enough, and frankly will look like spam.

In our Cit198 class, I also learned this lesson when we created our Facebook accounts. We wrote reviews about articles and then conducted conversations about what we posted. It was those conversations, where we incorporated our personal opinions and experiences, which made the original articles more alluring.

Mark Briggs and a host of featured journalists address every aspect of journalism in the information age. There are chapters on: RSS feeds, Blogging, Multimedia, Audio, Video, Digital Photography, and more. I purchased this book in hardcopy instead of reading the free ebook option because of the heavy load of information that is presented. Eventually, I would like to not only read it, but work through it like a guide, trying out each application as I go. This book can be used as an everyday reference for a journalist trying to build an internet following.  

After reading about all the useful tools one can use when writing articles, I felt invigorated and yet daunted. This is serious stuff; operating your own microphones, video equipment, taking quality digital photographs; all on top of writing interesting up-to-the-minute stories. Today’s journalist must be multifaceted, taking up roles as writer, web-designer, content distributor and advertiser. So it is inevitable that one must ask: will all this work have its value in returns? Will I make a real income?

Chapter 11, “Building a Digital Audience for News”, gives the basics on building an audience online through five different avenues: Tracking your content, Web analytics, Search Engine Optimization, Effective headline writing for the web, and Distribution through social media. These tools are invaluable for today’s journalist, but I was just slightly disappointed the book ended there. I wanted to read a more straight-forward “dollars and cents/sense” kind of chapter. I have a toddler and a baby on the way any day now, so it would have been some consolidation to know that if I followed this doctrine, I would earn at least $_____. But I know it doesn’t work that way. Just like an artist, a writer writes because they love to write, and any material compensation is merely a HUGE bonus. Mark Briggs presents all the tools he could think of to teach us journalist to take our careers to the next level, and hopefully implementing that knowledge will lead to earning a tangible return from which car notes and mortgages can be paid.



Ghetto Proverbs and Oxymorons

Okay, so this is the thing about Urban Philadelphia the ghetto, everywhere you go there are corner stores. Most corner stores are "bodegas," meaning they are owned and operated by immigrants from various parts of Latin America. In my experience, most are owned by Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. There are also corner stores owned by Asians; those stores are usually slightly larger and sell alcohol through triple-bullet proof plastic counters.

 If I gave you a description of a typical corner store, these establishments would probably seem quite cool and convenient: a mini-mart where people in the neighborhood can buy everything from hair greese to mayonnaise. And many of the small stores are complete with a deli in the back, where hoagies and lunchmeat can be purchased at slightly higher prices than at the supermarket. When you enter into the small market, which is usually the converted first floor of a corner house, you might be overwhelmed by the amount and variety of goods that are stacked, piled, and hanging from every available space: hair weaves, pantyhose, canned goods, bananas, diapers, over-the-counter medicines, condoms, and of course lots of sugary drinks and junk food.

This brings me to the photos I have posted below. While these corner stores might seem to be harmless or even helpful, I believe that one must investigate deeper to see how they could be a danger and detriment to the people who shop in them. First, let’s start by stating, there are almost no quality grocery stores in the ghetto. So many people resort to shopping at these "corner stores" which appear to be at almost every corner. In fact, it seems as though the worst off the neighborhood, the higher quantity of corner stores.

 Upon entering the establishment, you are barraged by shelves and shelves or high-sugar, high-sodium, low nutrition foods: cakes, candy, cookies, and personal-sized chips of every variety. Walk in a little further, and the refrigerator section is filled with juices and sodas that are packed with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors and dyes.

 I grew up around these stores: my brother and I would sneak and buy snacks whenever we had an extra quarter (my parents didn't allow these types of foods and drinks in our home). But growing up, it was what it was- corner store junk. But now, I have discovered these bright yellow signs posted outside of many of these stores. The sign reads in big bold lettering, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE DRINKING?" Then in the box below it says, "Sugary drinks can lead to diabetes and other diseases. Find healthier choices at this store."

 Okay, as soon as I'm thinking, "Huh? Is this a joke?" A van pulls up. A man begins to unload liters of neon orange, blue, and yellow soda and carts them into the store, case after case. As much as I would love to credit my fantastic investigative journalism skills for capturing this shameful irony, I must admit this one just fell into my lap. I snapped the photo and shook my head. Shame on them!

 This last picture was taken while I was strolling through North Philly, taking note of all the gentrification going on in Brewerytown. Written on the wall of a dilapidated home, which at one time might have been a fish market, were these words: "Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will eat forever." Wow, if this wasn't the perfect proverb for my Philly. I immediately recognized the Chinese proverb that I'm sure dates back many centuries. But to see it written on this abandoned building, on a block who's few inhabitants reflected lives of despair, addiction, and complacence; this was indeed a ghetto proverb. And across the street there's a sign that reads, "Condos coming soon!" But those condos are not being built for the people on that street, with no fish or fishing line, those condos are being built for the fishermen.

Wiki Me Philadelphia!

In my CIT 198 class, we are studying wikis. I must admit that I never saw how participating in a wiki could be beneficial in my life. However, being a budding journalist, I was anxious to learn about a web 2.0 application that could assist me in my career. Today's journalism is all about the web. There are some people who are skeptical about the future of journalism because of the big news in recent years of so many newspapers going bankrupt. But many of the internet-savvy journalist claim that this is just the evolution of journalism. People are interested in world events more now than ever before, but it’s no longer good enough to just write a great article and have it published. Today’s journalist have to know how to use twitter, facebook, wikis, streaming, RSS and other applications to get recognition for their work.

So this brings me to wikia.com. This is the site I have contributed to for my CIT class. To my delight, I have found that a wiki can also be used as an advertising tool. I found a wiki article about popular Philadelphia blogs and just added mine to the list! Oh, so I get it now… people love wikis because they are open to be edited by anyone and everyone. Yes, there is an administrator that will review the material to make sure it is fit to be on the wiki, but my article was posted right away. Wikis are like a “for the people, by the people” type of web 2.0 application. I am glad to have learned yet another way to expand on my journalism!

Check me out on wikia.com!

Spring?

It was beautiful all last week, but I figured I should wait until the official first week of spring to post a "Spring in Philadelphia" blog. But I can't help but to feel betrayed by mother nature as I sit at my laptop, snuggled under two covers, watching the news. The forecast for today calls for light snow, sleet, hail, AND rain. The temperature is just above freezing, and I can hear people warming their cars outside before they embark on their day at work.

So, what should I do? I will be optimistic! I took some pictures last week while taking a bus ride from North Philadelphia to Downtown. It was 65 degrees that day, and I will post the pictures of Philadelphians enjoying the wonderful spring weather :)

These two ladies are enjoying a stroll down Arch St. in the sunshine.

I took this from inside the bus, hence the glare. Guys hanging on the corner outside the liquor store is common in the warmer months in North Philadelphia. 

I just thought this guy was funny because he was pacing back and forth arguing (or maybe just loudly talking) with a girl on the phone- airing out all of his business. hehehehe

The Re-Gentrification of North Philadelphia

While riding through North Philadelphia, one might think, "Lock the doors! Roll up the windows! Let’s get out of here as soon as possible." I have read numerous articles on the subject, recently including one on Booksie.com by Sophia Radcliffe. Follow this link to see my opinion on her article, as I thought it was more important to give my take on re-gentrification for this blog.

The dilapidation of a once thriving working class neighborhood is quite depressing. Where there used to be bustling Avenues with department stores and small businesses are now beauty supply shops and liquor stores. This is the scene on Cecil B. Moore, Girard, and 22nd Street, all once home to quality businesses that sold quality products to the hard working people of North Philadelphia.

But when you ride a little more, empty lots filled with trash and vacant homes seem to be replaced by upscale condos and refurbished brownstones. This sight rings true especially if you are near the Temple University campus or in Brewerytown. This is re-gentrification.

At one time, these neighborhoods were filled with factory workers and their families (many of them white). Then there was suburban sprawl and the closing down of many factories between the 1950s to n1970s. Many of the working class home-owners moved to the suburbs, and the neighborhoods were transformed into ghettos, filled with section 8 (welfare) housing and lost cost rentals that were poorly cared for. Most of the residents are African-American. Almost all the reputable businesses left, leaving these areas devoid even of a good supermarket. The schools were given a fraction of the funding the suburban schools received and North Philadelphia became a breeding ground for violence, crime, and drugs.

So why would the suburbanites return? Developers ceased an opportunity to buy lots of cheap inner-city land and housing and transform it into a marketable place to live. The new developments are all near either downtown or the major universities. So if you’re a white collar suburbanite who travels an hour in traffic jams to and from work into downtown Philadelphia, these new inner-city developments would look quite attractive.

But the million dollar question is, what happens to the people living in the neighborhood now? Even the hard-working home-owners might get pushed out of their homes if they can’t afford the higher property taxes. This can’t be fair. So where do we go from here?

"West Philly Wonderland"

I must admit, the title is borrowed from Brandon Brown's picture gallery. This picture is also one of Brandon's. What looks like a snowy scene from a New (or Old) England suburb, is actually Cobbs Creek Parkway. Cobbs Creek is far from a suburb, existing in one of the toughest parts of Philadelphia, beginning at 61st and Baltimore Ave. Phildelphia has had 122 inches of snow over the past two winters, making snow history for the city.

Philadelphia has always been a wonder to me because despite the violent and unkempt sections, there are always places of peace and tranquility not far. There are rivers, lots of forests, and wildlife that can be appreciated if given the chance. In fact, this area used to be a prominent Quaker farming ground.

Cobbs Creek might be more famously known for the 1985 MOVE bombing, which destroyed 2 city blocks and 65 homes in a massive fire. The Philadelphia Police Department was directed to raid the compound of a African-American activists group who stood against tecnology and promoted a natural way of living. Eleven people were killed, including 5 children, in what many have called an inhumane and injust raid.