Thursday, May 6, 2010
Jounalism appreciation
After taking this course I have a new found appreciation for professional journalists. I think that before I took this course I clumped journalists and the media together as the same entity. I have no respect for the media and so I felt that root cause of this was the journalists,who I thought at the time were just writers of propaganda. However, after taking this class I am able to determine the difference between not only good and bad journalists, but also their ethical and moral values as a journalist. Now when I read the paper or watch the news I critique the AP writing styles, and how well the author attributes their information. This has helped me appreciate the good journalists, and ignore the bad. Another thing I have learned from this class is how much work and stress is involved in producing breaking news stories. I can now appreciate how well features are written because I know that good features are only written because the reporter knows how to conduct good reviews. Basically, I see journalism in a much better light now, and I realize that these professionals are actually really smart and hardworking.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
News Summary
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/us/05flood.html?ref=us
The Cumberland River’s water level has receded a foot by Tuesday morning, expected to lower by an additional 11 feet by Wednesday. Nashville it’ four surrounding counties faced a flash flood over the weekend that killed 24 people, and left many houses and business damaged by the storm.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Story 9
Michael Seymour is the vice president of operations at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Coon Rapids Campus. He has worked as the VP of ARCC for the last eight years, but for the first five years of his ARCC career he worked as one of the first technology directors of the school. Seymour says that now, there isn’t a second that he is not thinking of the institution. He stated that after being involved with the college for as long as he has, his career became bigger then himself. He stated that ARCC helped him to mature as a person, openly stating that he has grown much more patient since he took on the role of VP, but admits that if he had been asked 12 years ago, he would never have imagined himself sitting in the vice president’s chair that he is sitting in now.
Seymour was born in Milwaukie Wis. 1964, he was raised in Sheboygan Wis. for the first half of his childhood with is little brother Mando, and his parents Eufemia, and Jerry Seymour. Seymour commented on how his brother and mother both had unique names. He explained that his mother was full blooded Mexican-American which sheds light to her distinct name. Mando however, was coincidently named Mando short for the American title Commando of the 1962 film Maria o Crepa, Seymour recalled however, that most people just called him John. When he was about six-years-old, Seymour’s mother became quite passionate with the civil rights movement for bettering rights of migrant workers. Sadly, it was her passion and involvement that his mother had for this cause which ultimately led to the divorce of Seymour’s parents.
When Seymour was about eight-years-old, he and Mando went to live in Escanaba Mich. to spend the rest of their childhood with their father’s mother, Elizabeth Seymour. Seymour calls his grandma, as a “real heck of a lady,” He stated “There were a lot of good times growing up in upper Michigan, it was outdoorsy, a lot of hunting, fishing, snow mobiliing, so all of that was good.” However, for Seymour growing up in what he classifies as a broken household he admitted it was hard to get involved in his school work, not to mention he could receive no help from his grandmother who had only a 6th grade reading level.
Seymour worked his first Job as a dock attendant in Escanaba and continued to work this position for all four years of his college career. Seymour attended Ferris State University for his Associates and Bachelors in television production, and also achieved earning his masters in teaching there as well. After attending Ferris State, Seymour initially worked making and editing training videos out for the corporate offices of General Motors, he admitted that it was a dull, unfulfilling job and decided to pursue a more technological career, because he had learned a lot in the way of computer functionality due to the ever changing technological advancements in the television production field.
Seymour moved to Minn. because of a job offer, he started working as a technology college professor at a small university located in Austin Minn. Seymour stated that the market was too small for his career in Austin, which is how he ended up at ARCC, where he started his path towards Vice Presidency; he worked as what he says was “one of the first technology directors of the school.” While it may seem odd to have jumped from technology director to Vice President, Seymour explained that the mindset between the two is not as different as they may seem. He described that as a technology instructor he usually thought in a mathematical business-like manner, which he says is the sort of thinking he is required to use as the Vice President as well.
Seymour is now living with his wife Karla, and their two children, Tori, 15 and Tyler, 11 along with their dog Murphy Macray in Andover Minn. Seymour stated that besides hunting with Murphy, he mostly enjoys spending time watching his children participate in their own distinct activities. However, he states that he is happy to take advantage of all the time he can get with his family, admitting that the hardest part of being the VP of ARCC is finding a balance between the college and his family.
Seymour said that he has been part of many changes he has been a part of at ARCC over the last 12 years. He admits however, that nothing is really done by one person, saying that “a lot of people contribute to the success of ARCC, I would never say, so and so works for me, but that they work with me.” He says that he feels the biggest impact he has had on ARCC is what he calls the coming together of the Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses over the last decade, stating that when he came on as the VP, the campuses were like two separate entities, and now the relationship in regard to business alignment as well as student services is better than ever.
He accredits the faculty and students for helping to make the institution what it is today, acknowledging that every new day presents new obstacles that challenges the established perimeters, obstacles that he and the faculty have to find solutions to in order to keep the “highly regarded” reputation ARCC has earned over the years strong, but Seymour says that after time “It seems easy. People just look around and they see that thing are not that bad, we have facilities, nice technology, nice Do-able workloads, and all those other things that make for a nice place to work. Safe environment, civil people, doesn't just happen, it takes leadership from the president down, or the students up."
Seymour was born in Milwaukie Wis. 1964, he was raised in Sheboygan Wis. for the first half of his childhood with is little brother Mando, and his parents Eufemia, and Jerry Seymour. Seymour commented on how his brother and mother both had unique names. He explained that his mother was full blooded Mexican-American which sheds light to her distinct name. Mando however, was coincidently named Mando short for the American title Commando of the 1962 film Maria o Crepa, Seymour recalled however, that most people just called him John. When he was about six-years-old, Seymour’s mother became quite passionate with the civil rights movement for bettering rights of migrant workers. Sadly, it was her passion and involvement that his mother had for this cause which ultimately led to the divorce of Seymour’s parents.
When Seymour was about eight-years-old, he and Mando went to live in Escanaba Mich. to spend the rest of their childhood with their father’s mother, Elizabeth Seymour. Seymour calls his grandma, as a “real heck of a lady,” He stated “There were a lot of good times growing up in upper Michigan, it was outdoorsy, a lot of hunting, fishing, snow mobiliing, so all of that was good.” However, for Seymour growing up in what he classifies as a broken household he admitted it was hard to get involved in his school work, not to mention he could receive no help from his grandmother who had only a 6th grade reading level.
Seymour worked his first Job as a dock attendant in Escanaba and continued to work this position for all four years of his college career. Seymour attended Ferris State University for his Associates and Bachelors in television production, and also achieved earning his masters in teaching there as well. After attending Ferris State, Seymour initially worked making and editing training videos out for the corporate offices of General Motors, he admitted that it was a dull, unfulfilling job and decided to pursue a more technological career, because he had learned a lot in the way of computer functionality due to the ever changing technological advancements in the television production field.
Seymour moved to Minn. because of a job offer, he started working as a technology college professor at a small university located in Austin Minn. Seymour stated that the market was too small for his career in Austin, which is how he ended up at ARCC, where he started his path towards Vice Presidency; he worked as what he says was “one of the first technology directors of the school.” While it may seem odd to have jumped from technology director to Vice President, Seymour explained that the mindset between the two is not as different as they may seem. He described that as a technology instructor he usually thought in a mathematical business-like manner, which he says is the sort of thinking he is required to use as the Vice President as well.
Seymour is now living with his wife Karla, and their two children, Tori, 15 and Tyler, 11 along with their dog Murphy Macray in Andover Minn. Seymour stated that besides hunting with Murphy, he mostly enjoys spending time watching his children participate in their own distinct activities. However, he states that he is happy to take advantage of all the time he can get with his family, admitting that the hardest part of being the VP of ARCC is finding a balance between the college and his family.
Seymour said that he has been part of many changes he has been a part of at ARCC over the last 12 years. He admits however, that nothing is really done by one person, saying that “a lot of people contribute to the success of ARCC, I would never say, so and so works for me, but that they work with me.” He says that he feels the biggest impact he has had on ARCC is what he calls the coming together of the Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses over the last decade, stating that when he came on as the VP, the campuses were like two separate entities, and now the relationship in regard to business alignment as well as student services is better than ever.
He accredits the faculty and students for helping to make the institution what it is today, acknowledging that every new day presents new obstacles that challenges the established perimeters, obstacles that he and the faculty have to find solutions to in order to keep the “highly regarded” reputation ARCC has earned over the years strong, but Seymour says that after time “It seems easy. People just look around and they see that thing are not that bad, we have facilities, nice technology, nice Do-able workloads, and all those other things that make for a nice place to work. Safe environment, civil people, doesn't just happen, it takes leadership from the president down, or the students up."
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
News Summary
Two students were robbed and assaulted walking southeast on university Ave at 2:10 am on April 25 2010. The two students sustained minor injuries, these students are just two more robbed added to the list of people who have been assaulted near the University of Minnesota, downtown Minneapolis campus.
http://www.startribune.com/local/92271529.html?elr=KArks:DCiUnP::DE8c7PiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
http://www.startribune.com/local/92271529.html?elr=KArks:DCiUnP::DE8c7PiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Story 8
A random poll taken on April 20, 2010 consisting of twenty participants shows that the majority polled believe that college is a worthwhile investment in their future. Ninety percent of the poll participants are past or present college students. Of the 20 students polled 13 of them believed that college is worth their time and money.
The poll was made up of twenty American- Midwest, middle- class men and women, their ages ranging from 19-55 years old. Thirty percent of the group answered that they were going to school in order to receive a better job, another 30 percent of the students said they were or had been attending college because they were working at getting into a desired field. 20 percent of the students said they were only attended college because it was expected of them. Only five percent of the students polled stated that they were attending college to learn, with the other 10 percent not attending school, or going for other purposes.
Almost thirty percent of the polled group stated that they were able to pay for their college expenses out of their own pocket. However, more than half of the poll participants answered yes to receiving financial aid, with less than 10 percent of having benefited from grants and scholarships. Ninety-one percent of the students who answered yes to receiving financial aid said that they were only able to pay for school with the help of student loans that must be paid back. Almost thirty percent of the polled group stated that they were able to pay for their college expenses out of their own pocket.
President Obama announced the details of the Education Reconciliation Act at NOVA Community College of North Virginia, on March 30, 2010. In his speech the President announced that the Education Reconciliation Act is aimed to help middle-class Americans pay for college tuition, by means of increasing maximums on scholarships and grants, and by tripling the already largest existing educational tax credit known as the “bettering education credit.” The poll results showed that Sixty-five percent of students believed that college was a worthwhile investment; however the results were torn fifty – fifty when the students were asked if their additional schooling should be paid for by the government.
In his speech at NOVA, President Obama also stated that the Education Reconciliation Act will include steps to better prepare high school students for their college experience. These steps may help reduce the amount of money students lose every year because of taking unnecessary classes. Only Thirty five percent of the polled students said that high school prepared them enough for college, leaving the other sixty five unsure in a new atmosphere. This is shown in the results with almost half of the students stating that they had changed their majors at least once, 90 percent of those students answering that they lost money on classes and books that they did not need.
The poll was made up of twenty American- Midwest, middle- class men and women, their ages ranging from 19-55 years old. Thirty percent of the group answered that they were going to school in order to receive a better job, another 30 percent of the students said they were or had been attending college because they were working at getting into a desired field. 20 percent of the students said they were only attended college because it was expected of them. Only five percent of the students polled stated that they were attending college to learn, with the other 10 percent not attending school, or going for other purposes.
Almost thirty percent of the polled group stated that they were able to pay for their college expenses out of their own pocket. However, more than half of the poll participants answered yes to receiving financial aid, with less than 10 percent of having benefited from grants and scholarships. Ninety-one percent of the students who answered yes to receiving financial aid said that they were only able to pay for school with the help of student loans that must be paid back. Almost thirty percent of the polled group stated that they were able to pay for their college expenses out of their own pocket.
President Obama announced the details of the Education Reconciliation Act at NOVA Community College of North Virginia, on March 30, 2010. In his speech the President announced that the Education Reconciliation Act is aimed to help middle-class Americans pay for college tuition, by means of increasing maximums on scholarships and grants, and by tripling the already largest existing educational tax credit known as the “bettering education credit.” The poll results showed that Sixty-five percent of students believed that college was a worthwhile investment; however the results were torn fifty – fifty when the students were asked if their additional schooling should be paid for by the government.
In his speech at NOVA, President Obama also stated that the Education Reconciliation Act will include steps to better prepare high school students for their college experience. These steps may help reduce the amount of money students lose every year because of taking unnecessary classes. Only Thirty five percent of the polled students said that high school prepared them enough for college, leaving the other sixty five unsure in a new atmosphere. This is shown in the results with almost half of the students stating that they had changed their majors at least once, 90 percent of those students answering that they lost money on classes and books that they did not need.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
News Summary
Parking meter upgrade
The Minneapolis city council agreed to a 6.6 million dollar investment to upgrade the cities new parking meters. The new meters will not only be solar powered, but also payable by credit card. The parking meter overhaul is set to be completed by 2012.
http://www.startribune.com/local/91129109.html?page=2&c=y
The Minneapolis city council agreed to a 6.6 million dollar investment to upgrade the cities new parking meters. The new meters will not only be solar powered, but also payable by credit card. The parking meter overhaul is set to be completed by 2012.
http://www.startribune.com/local/91129109.html?page=2&c=y
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Story 7
In a recent Poll of 30 Anoka-Ramsey community college students, two thirds of the students currently receive financial aid to help pay for school, and 13 of these students said that they would benefit from an increase in the maximum of financial aid awarded to them. The majority of students asked said that tuition was the most challenging expense of ARCC, with the cost of books at a close second.
On March 29th 2010 President Obama unveiled the new reconciliation act. In the reconciliation act Obama focuses on how to make college more readily available and affordable to every prospective and current college student in the United States. Of the twenty students that currently receive financial aid from ARCC, 16 of the polled students receive aid by loan, four by scholarships and 3 were unsure which kind of aid they received. According to Whitehouse.gov the reconciliation act aims to solve college expense issues by completely eliminating banks as private school loan lenders, which only one fifth of the students asked, stated they receive. This would make all student loans directly from the government.
Obama also stated that there would be an increase in the number of students who receive the Pell grant as well as a raise in the maximum amount awarded to each student from the Pell grant. At ARCC however, only five of the 30 students currently utilize the already existing Pell grant. In addition to this the reconciliation act will help to expand the income-based loan repayment plans to graduated students, and make the FASFA forms easier to fill out.
On March 29th 2010 President Obama unveiled the new reconciliation act. In the reconciliation act Obama focuses on how to make college more readily available and affordable to every prospective and current college student in the United States. Of the twenty students that currently receive financial aid from ARCC, 16 of the polled students receive aid by loan, four by scholarships and 3 were unsure which kind of aid they received. According to Whitehouse.gov the reconciliation act aims to solve college expense issues by completely eliminating banks as private school loan lenders, which only one fifth of the students asked, stated they receive. This would make all student loans directly from the government.
Obama also stated that there would be an increase in the number of students who receive the Pell grant as well as a raise in the maximum amount awarded to each student from the Pell grant. At ARCC however, only five of the 30 students currently utilize the already existing Pell grant. In addition to this the reconciliation act will help to expand the income-based loan repayment plans to graduated students, and make the FASFA forms easier to fill out.
Halted sales of Lexus GX 460
Lexus announced today that they would halt sales of their 2010 Lexus GX 460, The announcement was made shortly after consumer reports magazine reported that there was a life threatening handling issue. Consumer report’s tests showed that this car was likely to rollover when slowing down during a sharp turn.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/business/14auto.html?hp
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Oak Crest Homes open house (excercise 5, #4)
Opening Of Oak Crest
12 South Furnak Rd.
Paradise Valley MI 43812
Contact: Thomas Samseson-Realestate Manager of Oak Ridge Project
Office Phone:(543) 856-2314
Cell Phone: (543) 566-8787
Email: SamsesonT@yahoo.com
Oak Crest Subdivision Open House
The latest installment Oak Ridge luxury homes, Oak Crest is finally open for sale. These four to five bedroom homes start at $350 thousand, and are built on quarter acre plots. To schedule an open house contact The Thomas Samsesons Real estate firm office at (543) 856-2314
12 South Furnak Rd.
Paradise Valley MI 43812
Contact: Thomas Samseson-Realestate Manager of Oak Ridge Project
Office Phone:(543) 856-2314
Cell Phone: (543) 566-8787
Email: SamsesonT@yahoo.com
Oak Crest Subdivision Open House
The latest installment Oak Ridge luxury homes, Oak Crest is finally open for sale. These four to five bedroom homes start at $350 thousand, and are built on quarter acre plots. To schedule an open house contact The Thomas Samsesons Real estate firm office at (543) 856-2314
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The reconciliation Bill
Theenterprise story idea I have is how the reconciliations Bill that Obama signed on 3.30.10 will affect the financial aid systems of Anoka Ramsey community college, as well as the student body. Part of the bill is a grant to community colleges in particular, I would also like to see how this money will affect and be used by the school.
I think that this would be an interesting story idea because it pinpoints how the Obama admminstration is actually trying to improve the lives of students. It also brings the a national story down to a community level and will help students of ARCC to see what this bill is actually doing for them. I found it interesting because I would personally want to know just how this money is going to be used, and how much of a difference this will make in the fincail aid process.
I think that this would be an interesting story idea because it pinpoints how the Obama admminstration is actually trying to improve the lives of students. It also brings the a national story down to a community level and will help students of ARCC to see what this bill is actually doing for them. I found it interesting because I would personally want to know just how this money is going to be used, and how much of a difference this will make in the fincail aid process.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
News Summary
The 2009 commissioner’s trophy was awarded to the Yankees last year. The trophy didn’t stay in Yankee’s hands long as it was subject to a worldwide tour, it was displayed at many different venues as far away as Beijing and Tokyo.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/whirlwind-off-season-for-yankees-trophy/?hp
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mary Ann Larios
Mary Ann Larios is helping students to find their career path everyday as a career counselor at Anoka-Ramsey community college (ARCC); ironically she didn’t always know that this is what she would one day be. Larios actually changed her career path several different times in her life before she discovered her true calling as a community college counselor. After graduating high school, Larios attended McAlister College in St. Paul Minn., initially majoring in vocal performance. However after her freshman year she decided to change her major and transferred to St. Benedict where she pursued a career in interior design.
After graduating from St. Benedicts in 1982 with her bachelor of interior design, Larios decided it was time to “go out and see what was out there.” She moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. where she lived with her older sister. However, due to the struggling economy at the time Larios was forced to move to Phoenix Ariz. where she had heard there were jobs available in the interior design field.
Larios worked as an interior designer and enjoyed it for about six years. During her mid-twenties however, she started working as a volunteer with soon-to-be moms and realized that counseling was her real passion “I found I was getting so much more reward and satisfaction from this volunteer work then I was when I was an interior designer.” Larios admitted. Larios decided to go back to school and received her masters in counseling from Arizona State university and later went on to gain her PhD in human services from Walden university .
At first Larios was intrigued by junior high and high school counseling, but after a couple of informational interviews she could sense that these schools were not for her. It was a friend of her husbands who introduced her to community college counseling and after a couple more informational interviews she knew that this was the job she was meant to do. “Typically people in a community college are in the realm of wanting to improve their life through education, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that.” She exclaimed.
She admits that even though she loves working at ARCC it is sometimes hard because she does not always know the outcome of different students she has helped. “I might have some students come talk to me about a personal issue, or their career or whatever it is and that might be the end of it, but I don’t know how their life progressed, and I think when your in a community college setting that’s typically the case.”
Now after what seems like a long journey Larios is happy to say that she has found a perfect match for her life. What she says she loves most about her job is the diversity of her workload. She says that her work excites her because she is not always doing the same thing over and over again. Along with counseling Larios also takes part in many different mental development workshops at the school, in addition to teaching an online career development course. Larios really enjoys the educational environment of ARCC knowing that her work associates are always supportive of her and her different ideas.
For Larios, it is both the faculty and students at ARCC that makes coming to work everyday a treat. She is overwhelmed by her colleges’ fantastic work ethic as well as the willingness of students at ARCC to succeed. She loves knowing that she can make a difference in their lives and thrives on it. “I wouldn’t call it helping people, because people help themselves, but I enjoy being on that journey with them. To me, it’s very exciting.”
After graduating from St. Benedicts in 1982 with her bachelor of interior design, Larios decided it was time to “go out and see what was out there.” She moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. where she lived with her older sister. However, due to the struggling economy at the time Larios was forced to move to Phoenix Ariz. where she had heard there were jobs available in the interior design field.
Larios worked as an interior designer and enjoyed it for about six years. During her mid-twenties however, she started working as a volunteer with soon-to-be moms and realized that counseling was her real passion “I found I was getting so much more reward and satisfaction from this volunteer work then I was when I was an interior designer.” Larios admitted. Larios decided to go back to school and received her masters in counseling from Arizona State university and later went on to gain her PhD in human services from Walden university .
At first Larios was intrigued by junior high and high school counseling, but after a couple of informational interviews she could sense that these schools were not for her. It was a friend of her husbands who introduced her to community college counseling and after a couple more informational interviews she knew that this was the job she was meant to do. “Typically people in a community college are in the realm of wanting to improve their life through education, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that.” She exclaimed.
She admits that even though she loves working at ARCC it is sometimes hard because she does not always know the outcome of different students she has helped. “I might have some students come talk to me about a personal issue, or their career or whatever it is and that might be the end of it, but I don’t know how their life progressed, and I think when your in a community college setting that’s typically the case.”
Now after what seems like a long journey Larios is happy to say that she has found a perfect match for her life. What she says she loves most about her job is the diversity of her workload. She says that her work excites her because she is not always doing the same thing over and over again. Along with counseling Larios also takes part in many different mental development workshops at the school, in addition to teaching an online career development course. Larios really enjoys the educational environment of ARCC knowing that her work associates are always supportive of her and her different ideas.
For Larios, it is both the faculty and students at ARCC that makes coming to work everyday a treat. She is overwhelmed by her colleges’ fantastic work ethic as well as the willingness of students at ARCC to succeed. She loves knowing that she can make a difference in their lives and thrives on it. “I wouldn’t call it helping people, because people help themselves, but I enjoy being on that journey with them. To me, it’s very exciting.”
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Family sues Hennipen County regarding their dead son's skull
http://www.startribune.com/local/88948917.html?page=1&c=y
The family of murder victim filed a lawsuit on March 22nd 2010 against Hennepin County for keeping the head of their dead son. Rickey McGuire died in November 1977. McGuire’s skull was found in the basement of now deceased Pathologist Dr. Kenneth Osterberg two years ago by his daughter, the family did not know it was initially missing and now feels betrayed.
The family of murder victim filed a lawsuit on March 22nd 2010 against Hennepin County for keeping the head of their dead son. Rickey McGuire died in November 1977. McGuire’s skull was found in the basement of now deceased Pathologist Dr. Kenneth Osterberg two years ago by his daughter, the family did not know it was initially missing and now feels betrayed.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Story #5 Abigail Allan art show
Local talent Abigail Allan visited Anoka Ramsey Community College (ARCC) yesterday to kick off her solo art show that is going to be displayed in the school’s Great River Art Gallery from March 10th –April 6th. From 2-3 p .m. Allan presented at the ARCC’s weekly college hour and discussed her life, art and ideologies. Allan presented to a full crowd in ARCC’s River Room, among those in attendance were Chairman of the Art Committee, Linda Varvale, as well as President of the Art Department, Chris Gray.
Allan enthralled onlookers with her PowerPoint presentation which demonstrated her passion for art and how it has been inspired by the beauty of science. The presentation focused on the similar methodologies between art and science. Allan shared how she has learned to apply the scientific method to her artisanship and how this helped her conceive and comprehend the meaning behind her work. Calvin Jarchow, a nursing student at ARCC was amazed from what he heard at the presentation. “The things that you presented are things that I’ve thought a thousand times, but was never able to articulate on my own.” He accredited to Allan at the end of her presentation.
Allan mentioned that even since childhood she has been creating things such as small universes out of play dough (one of many unconditional materials that she still uses today.) It wasn’t until comments of artist and close friend Ari Muzner, that Allan discovered art was her passion, “Go back to what you did as a child, that is what you do” He said. Allan received her bachelors of arts at N.Y. State School of Ceramics; she also attended Alfred University and received her bachelors of fine arts in art and design, with minors in art history and biology.
Allan stated that as soon as she was introduced to science she was intrigued however; her artwork gained a new meaning after she saw the image, Vertebrate Embryo Ontogeny Figure by Ernst Haeckel. The image depicts the fetal development of eight different vertebrae, including human beings. Allan was amazed at the fetal similarity between humans and animals and thus began her repertoire. Her art show revolves around the idea of deformity based on the environment. Allan is drawn to the comparability of natural selection and mankind’s own evolution of human emotional development.
Allan, being a Minn. native, was drawn to our states own deformed frogs; she depicts many variations of these creatures in her show. She displayed paintings, ceramics, and hand crafted sculptures of deformed animals many of them being frogs. “Rare artist shows I can walk through the whole thing and be amazed,” Admitted ARCC student Eric Dalhberg. Allan emphasized however, that nature in its organic form is amazing in itself. Allan summed up her passion for art and science by stating that in both there are no absolutes, the world is not solid, and that there is no guarantee that world is perceived the same to everyone. However, by incorporating science into her art, she was able to introduce the students and faculty at ARCC to a new and beautiful art form that every living thing on this planet can relate to.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Open-carry laws are begining to cause problems in some states.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/us/08guns.html?ref=us
Gun owners in 38 states are exercising their right to carry unconcealed weapons by holding meet-ups at public restaurants with other gun owners and practicing the open-carry law. The aim of the open carry movement is to convince law officials that many non-gun owners would prefer concealment of these weapons.
Gun owners in 38 states are exercising their right to carry unconcealed weapons by holding meet-ups at public restaurants with other gun owners and practicing the open-carry law. The aim of the open carry movement is to convince law officials that many non-gun owners would prefer concealment of these weapons.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Economy and the Community
I know several people who have been directly effected by the economy. My father has actually been laid off twice in the past 3 years, and has been unemployed for extended periods of time. He had to lower his standards for a workplace just to find work, for some time he worked for a company that didn't offer any health benifits, vacation time, or even overtime. This company also seemed to be running a very unethical buisness, (my dad drives 18 wheelers, and this company would actually make their employees drive down side streets of chicago to avoid paying tolls.) Luckily, my dad found a new job, but it is only a little bit better then the last one he had. To me it is really sad that these companies are able to treat their employees with no respect, and they only reason they get away with it is becuase they know there are hundreds of other people out there that need work. My fiances best friend, Joel was in the army reserves, he decided to quit and move down to flordia, you see he lived in Grand Forks and said he was sick of the cold. When Joel got to flordia he was unable to find any work, nor decent housing (with a Grand Forks budget.) Within a week he moved back up to the cities, and he lived with me and my fiance for two months trying to find a job, he still hasn't found one.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Brittany Olson
Brittany Olson loves to meet new people, but what she loves even more is her job. For the last 3 years she has worked as a hairstylist at Fantastic Sams hair salon in Cambridge Minn. Olson recalls the day when she knew she wanted to style hair, at age 7 her aunt gave her a “how to braid hair” book and unleashed little Brittnay’s passion. She can still remember the first hair cut she ever gave “the first haircut I gave was probably on my mom! She was sooooo nervous because she is kind of picky and didn’t know if I had enough experience to give her a cut. It did go well though; she has had the same variation of the haircut for years so I did a good job.”Of all the skills that Olson learned at the regency beauty institute in Blaine it seems clear that she enjoys performing updo’s (elegant styled hair) on clients most of all. At regency, Olson won several updo contests, and even performed them for weddings and proms when she was just a senior in high school. Although Brittnay loves her job, she knows that with any job it is easy to get burned out from doing the same thing over and over again, that is why she is currently attending Anoka Ramsey community college so she can further her career at her 2nd job, Wells Fargo. “I like to balance it out so that I still go to work and love it along with reflect my passion to the people that are in my chair” Currently Olson is enjoying her life as a student, she lives with her fiancé, Ian in Isanti and is looking forward to her own wedding, which when it comes to the hair, she will be more then ready.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Olson Interveiw
1: What is the best part of being a hairdresser?
Meeting new people! getting your hair done should be a great experience, so
i try to customize to each person.
2: What is the worst part of being a hairdresser?
crabby people, you try to do a nice thing for them and they dont appreciate
it and complain the whole time.
3: Do you remeber the first haircut you did on your own? If so-can you
give
some details.
The first haircut i gave was probably on my mom! she was sooooo nervous
because she is kind of picky and didnt know if i had enough experience to
give her a cut. It did go well though, she has had the same variation of
haircut for years so i did a good job.
4: From what youv'e already sent me, It seems as if you have been doing
hair for quite some time now, do you still-or ever get nervous when
cutting someone's hair?
I wouldn't say completely nervous, just a different challenge. it depends
on who is in my chair, if i know that they are picky.... i might be
hesitant on a style or color if they want a DRAMATIC change, but it also
depends on the change is as well.
5: I know you only lived in germany for the first couple years of your
life, but does it at all influence your style or personality?
I guess i dont think that it has influenced my style or so much my
personality, because we basically lived on base while we were there so
everyone around us spoke english. I think it would be different if my dad
met my mom in germany, but they were high school sweet hearts and moved
over
together. but it does tell an interesting story!
6: You mentioned that you are very good at updos, Where do you draw
inspiration from to create new and original styles?
I guess when i do updos i like them to show me pictures of what they like,
along with a trial updo (if time permits) so i know what type of hair
texture that i am working with (whether its fine or thick or really smooth,
or really damaged) but after the trial then i have some time to think and
rethink on how i can structure an updo (how am i going to curl it, do they
want it messy or slick, how am i going to hide the bobby pins, is there
hair extensions to hide, do they have a tiara or other jewelery, do they
have/want bangs, do they want certain pieces down... and etc) The more time
i have to think about an updo, i feel that i am better prepared for it. But
if i do not get a trial with the girl, i start off by playing with their
hair while asking a lot of questions.
7: You said you do nail art as well.. How do you draw with that nail pen?
It's SOOO SMALL!!! Did it take alot of time to get used to performing on
such a small scale?
It is a skill! in beauty school i had a lot of time to work on it. going to
school with the asian girls whos families own nail salons were always
people who gave me inspiration!
8: How did you meet your fiance?
my cousin and him have been friends for years, so i have known him for
awhile, but it was more recently that we both kinda grew up and found an
interest in each other (he says that he has had a crush on me since he
first
met me 4 years ago!!.... what a romantic!)
9: Why are you attending anoka ramsey, if you already fufilled your dream
as a beautician?
I love doing hair, but i dont want to get burned from it. i like to balance
it out so that i still go to work and love it along with reflect my passion
to the people that are in my chair.
10: What are your future plans? Is hairdressing part of them?
As of now i work at wells fargo as a teller, so i guess i would like get a
promotion to be in a different part of wells, along with still working at
least one day a week at a salon.
11: What kind of people do you think it takes to be a beautician?
It takes a strong person to be a stylist. you have to be a "people person,"
have a strong sense of creativity, you cannot be afraid (people can sense
it). a quote that i have learned to live by "Fake it till you make it." it
has been a fact that people tell their stylist more than they tell their
doctors, so with what people tell you, you also have to be very
professional so that you dont offend anyone.
12: Do you also color hair?
oh yes. lots of hair coloring, people love to change it up! thats where you
have to use a creative judgement to make sure that each person gets a color
that fits their personality.
13: What happens if you disagree with a client? (for example- as a
professional you KNOW that hair would not look good on THAT person)
well then thats when you ask lots of questions to why they want that
certian color choice, usually you can compromise with a person (i am the
professional and all!)
Meeting new people! getting your hair done should be a great experience, so
i try to customize to each person.
2: What is the worst part of being a hairdresser?
crabby people, you try to do a nice thing for them and they dont appreciate
it and complain the whole time.
3: Do you remeber the first haircut you did on your own? If so-can you
give
some details.
The first haircut i gave was probably on my mom! she was sooooo nervous
because she is kind of picky and didnt know if i had enough experience to
give her a cut. It did go well though, she has had the same variation of
haircut for years so i did a good job.
4: From what youv'e already sent me, It seems as if you have been doing
hair for quite some time now, do you still-or ever get nervous when
cutting someone's hair?
I wouldn't say completely nervous, just a different challenge. it depends
on who is in my chair, if i know that they are picky.... i might be
hesitant on a style or color if they want a DRAMATIC change, but it also
depends on the change is as well.
5: I know you only lived in germany for the first couple years of your
life, but does it at all influence your style or personality?
I guess i dont think that it has influenced my style or so much my
personality, because we basically lived on base while we were there so
everyone around us spoke english. I think it would be different if my dad
met my mom in germany, but they were high school sweet hearts and moved
over
together. but it does tell an interesting story!
6: You mentioned that you are very good at updos, Where do you draw
inspiration from to create new and original styles?
I guess when i do updos i like them to show me pictures of what they like,
along with a trial updo (if time permits) so i know what type of hair
texture that i am working with (whether its fine or thick or really smooth,
or really damaged) but after the trial then i have some time to think and
rethink on how i can structure an updo (how am i going to curl it, do they
want it messy or slick, how am i going to hide the bobby pins, is there
hair extensions to hide, do they have a tiara or other jewelery, do they
have/want bangs, do they want certain pieces down... and etc) The more time
i have to think about an updo, i feel that i am better prepared for it. But
if i do not get a trial with the girl, i start off by playing with their
hair while asking a lot of questions.
7: You said you do nail art as well.. How do you draw with that nail pen?
It's SOOO SMALL!!! Did it take alot of time to get used to performing on
such a small scale?
It is a skill! in beauty school i had a lot of time to work on it. going to
school with the asian girls whos families own nail salons were always
people who gave me inspiration!
8: How did you meet your fiance?
my cousin and him have been friends for years, so i have known him for
awhile, but it was more recently that we both kinda grew up and found an
interest in each other (he says that he has had a crush on me since he
first
met me 4 years ago!!.... what a romantic!)
9: Why are you attending anoka ramsey, if you already fufilled your dream
as a beautician?
I love doing hair, but i dont want to get burned from it. i like to balance
it out so that i still go to work and love it along with reflect my passion
to the people that are in my chair.
10: What are your future plans? Is hairdressing part of them?
As of now i work at wells fargo as a teller, so i guess i would like get a
promotion to be in a different part of wells, along with still working at
least one day a week at a salon.
11: What kind of people do you think it takes to be a beautician?
It takes a strong person to be a stylist. you have to be a "people person,"
have a strong sense of creativity, you cannot be afraid (people can sense
it). a quote that i have learned to live by "Fake it till you make it." it
has been a fact that people tell their stylist more than they tell their
doctors, so with what people tell you, you also have to be very
professional so that you dont offend anyone.
12: Do you also color hair?
oh yes. lots of hair coloring, people love to change it up! thats where you
have to use a creative judgement to make sure that each person gets a color
that fits their personality.
13: What happens if you disagree with a client? (for example- as a
professional you KNOW that hair would not look good on THAT person)
well then thats when you ask lots of questions to why they want that
certian color choice, usually you can compromise with a person (i am the
professional and all!)
Monday, March 1, 2010
News Summary
Russia and Georgia agree to reopen popular trade route.
The only road that links Russia to Georgia was reopened on Monday. It was closed due to a war between the two nations during August 0f 2008. The first day of its reopening no one crossed the border because to use the route, one must first have a visa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/world/europe/02georgia.html?ref=world
The only road that links Russia to Georgia was reopened on Monday. It was closed due to a war between the two nations during August 0f 2008. The first day of its reopening no one crossed the border because to use the route, one must first have a visa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/world/europe/02georgia.html?ref=world
Friday, February 26, 2010
VanStrand-Third Place
http://www.vanstrand.com/
The community that I have recently visited was my Hair Salon, Van Strand. Last week I went to the salon to get my hair cut and dyed. Van Strand is part of the same strip mall that the Target store I work at is part of, so this location is definitely part of the same community where I work. At the salon I was able to take part of the community conversation. When entering the salon, I was greeted by the front desk receptionist, and told to sit in one of the comfy leather chairs, where I was able to listen to the general mood and access the atmosphere of the salon. The salon is one room with five different stations lined up on each side. My stylist Katie, escorted me to the back of the salon to start cutting and styling my hair. Once I was in the chair, the conversation began. Katie and I began talking about how cold the weather was, and since both our work places are part of the same parking lot we began talking about the conditions of the pavement in the lot. We, and other clients at the salon began talking about how the roads in the community were in very poor condition, and we were curious about whether the township was waiting (till spring) to fill in the potholes in the lot, or if they did not have enough money to fill them in. Katie and I talked about the economic status of our work place and then moved our discussion to the economy. It seems that both of the businesses where we work are experiencing shortage of hours due to the lack of incoming revenue. Katie and I are both engaged to be wed in the year 2011, we talked about our lack of money due to the damaged economy, one of the things we were discussing were different ways to save money when planning a wedding. Katie gave me great tips about how the date of the wedding can reduce the cost of a reception exponentially. Her advice actually helped me to set a date later in the fall instead of during the summer. While talking about our weddings, other clients chimed into our conversation, giving us great ideas on how to save cash during the wedding, and for our honeymoon. Overall, this location could be classified as a third place, the best part of the conversations in this community was knowing that there are other people in my community who share the same concerns as I do when it comes to earning and saving money. It was great to receive advice from people who have already had weddings and know creative ways to save money, especially in hard times like these.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Story 3: North Point Robbery
A robbery occurred at the North Point Inn yesterday morning around 9 AM that resulted in the death of lead chef of the Inn, Kevin Blohm. Nina Cortez, Bookkeeper at the Inn arrived for her daily shift ten minutes before 9 a.m. yesterday morning. Soon after her arrival to work, Cortez recalls seeing and talking to Blohm. After Cortez requested a cup of coffee from Blohm, she stated that she and Blohm walked out to the corridor of the Inn together. “That was the last I saw him.” She said.
After seeing Blohm, Cortez began her morning checklist by going through the previous day’s revenue. Cortez remembered taking the$6000 and receipts out of the safe in order to count it on her desk. A couple minutes after Cortez began her count she was confronted by what she believes to be the robber and his accomplice. Cortez began screaming when she saw that one of the robbers was carrying a knife. The suspect then reached across Cortez’s desk and grabbed $130 in five dollar bills off of her desk. After the robbers left, Cortez locked her office door and stayed inside until the police arrived four minutes later.
The police escorted Cortez out of her office, which is when she first saw Blohm’s body. “It was awful. There was blood on the walls and floor. Kevin was lying on the floor, dead.” She recalled. Kevin suffered from a large knife wound to the chest and hand.
Although Cortez claims that she didn’t recognize the robber because the lower half of his face was covered with a flower scarf, she remembers that he was around five to six feet tall, and that he was in his twenties with a medium build.
After seeing Blohm, Cortez began her morning checklist by going through the previous day’s revenue. Cortez remembered taking the$6000 and receipts out of the safe in order to count it on her desk. A couple minutes after Cortez began her count she was confronted by what she believes to be the robber and his accomplice. Cortez began screaming when she saw that one of the robbers was carrying a knife. The suspect then reached across Cortez’s desk and grabbed $130 in five dollar bills off of her desk. After the robbers left, Cortez locked her office door and stayed inside until the police arrived four minutes later.
The police escorted Cortez out of her office, which is when she first saw Blohm’s body. “It was awful. There was blood on the walls and floor. Kevin was lying on the floor, dead.” She recalled. Kevin suffered from a large knife wound to the chest and hand.
Although Cortez claims that she didn’t recognize the robber because the lower half of his face was covered with a flower scarf, she remembers that he was around five to six feet tall, and that he was in his twenties with a medium build.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Brawl at Rosedale Mall
Two teenagers were wounded in a brawl that broke out at the Rosedale Shopping center late Saturday evening. One of the teens was stabbed multiple times in the back, while the other suffered facial lacerations. The 16-year-old suspect was taken to Ramsey County Juvenile center where he faces charges of 2nd degree assault.
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/84912457.html?page=1&c=y
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/84912457.html?page=1&c=y
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Geinosky, Angelina
21 year old, Angelina Geinosky died in a car accident yesterday morning. She was on her way to work her 4 a.m. shift at Target, when she fell asleep at the wheel, and her '98 Oldsmobile veered into oncoming traffic. Angelina was born and raised in Warrenville Il. As a teen she attended Wheaton Warrenville South High school, where she met and was inspired by choir director, Gordon Krauspe. Although her entire life Angelina loved to sing, under the mentor ship of Krauspe, Angelina realized that her real passion was choir music. She was involved in several school choirs, as well as the Midwest Young artists, which was also directed by Krauspe. In 2006, Angelina graduated Highschool, and met her fiance, RJ Heaser, at an anime convention in Iowa. Angelina moved to Plymouth, Minn. in 2007, to be with RJ, and they were planning to be wed in the fall of 2011.
Angelina didn't care much for friends, however, she loved her family very much. She was known as being the best hugger in the family. She leaves behind her parents Ray and Joan, 19 year old sister and best friend Michelle, as well as her older brother and sister Danny and Lia. Angelina also had a small family in Minnesota which consisted of her fiance, RJ as well as her beloved cat, Doctor.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m -6 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Gill Brothers funeral home in New Hope, Minn.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
News Article #5
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/world/middleeast/16diplo.html?ref=politics
Clinton Raises U.S. Concerns of Military Power in Iran
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speculates that groups like the Islamic Revolutionary Guards could lead to military dictatorship in Iran. Clinton announced this Monday afternoon at the University of Doah in Qatar. To prevent this from happening she strongly urges Iranian political figures to express more authority over these groups.
Clinton Raises U.S. Concerns of Military Power in Iran
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speculates that groups like the Islamic Revolutionary Guards could lead to military dictatorship in Iran. Clinton announced this Monday afternoon at the University of Doah in Qatar. To prevent this from happening she strongly urges Iranian political figures to express more authority over these groups.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Anoka County has no money in this year’s budget to spare for new police equipment. In a meeting held Thursday afternoon between Sheriff Gus Dicesari and Anoka County commissioners, Dicesari requested a budget increase that would allow him to buy eight new police cruisers as well as additional funding to hire five new sheriff deputies. The request was quickly denied by Commission President Anne Chen. Chen explained that Anoka County did not have the $580,000 to support these purchases.
The Debate over county spending grew when commission members had split opinions on the matter. Commissioners Vallerie Dawkins, Faith Ellis, Jose Gardos and Roland Grauman all agreed with Chen, while Anita Shenuski and Raymond Laybourne supported Dicesari.
Dicesari thought that the county was “shortchanging” the sheriff’s department while Shenuski and Laybourne believed that additional funding was being wasted on programs for migrant workers. “We never had problems until we began letting migrants come to the Anoka to work. They are a problem for our law enforcement, our schools and our healthcare system” Spouted Shenuski. Chen dismissed the notion that immigrants were the problem. Anoka county commissioners estimate that there are 5,000 migrant families in the county working in agriculture, construction and industry jobs.
Gardez pointed out that many of these immigrants become permanent members of the community and help boost its economy by opening businesses, paying taxes and eventually earning their citizenship.
Regardless of the dispute over immigrant workers, Dicesari redirected the meeting back to the counties budget crisis claiming “This is the first time in my 27 years as a sheriff that Anoka County hasn’t allocated money to the sheriff’s department to buy equipment.”
Anoka County’s budget for this year was $127 million; Chen reassured that this year’s shortcomings had nothing to do with migrant workers. Instead the budget was affected by the rising costs of fuel and healthcare, as well as the $30 million used to build the new prison.
The meeting ended with a final vote that was 5-2 against Dicesari’s request for additional funding. President Chen stated that for the remainder of the year the sheriff’s department would have to make due with the resources they already had.
The Debate over county spending grew when commission members had split opinions on the matter. Commissioners Vallerie Dawkins, Faith Ellis, Jose Gardos and Roland Grauman all agreed with Chen, while Anita Shenuski and Raymond Laybourne supported Dicesari.
Dicesari thought that the county was “shortchanging” the sheriff’s department while Shenuski and Laybourne believed that additional funding was being wasted on programs for migrant workers. “We never had problems until we began letting migrants come to the Anoka to work. They are a problem for our law enforcement, our schools and our healthcare system” Spouted Shenuski. Chen dismissed the notion that immigrants were the problem. Anoka county commissioners estimate that there are 5,000 migrant families in the county working in agriculture, construction and industry jobs.
Gardez pointed out that many of these immigrants become permanent members of the community and help boost its economy by opening businesses, paying taxes and eventually earning their citizenship.
Regardless of the dispute over immigrant workers, Dicesari redirected the meeting back to the counties budget crisis claiming “This is the first time in my 27 years as a sheriff that Anoka County hasn’t allocated money to the sheriff’s department to buy equipment.”
Anoka County’s budget for this year was $127 million; Chen reassured that this year’s shortcomings had nothing to do with migrant workers. Instead the budget was affected by the rising costs of fuel and healthcare, as well as the $30 million used to build the new prison.
The meeting ended with a final vote that was 5-2 against Dicesari’s request for additional funding. President Chen stated that for the remainder of the year the sheriff’s department would have to make due with the resources they already had.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
News Summary #4
Home Aide Steals from Elderly
www.startribune.com/local83916677.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDayscUiacyKUniciaec807EyUr
An elderly Hopkins Women living in the Augasta Chapel Veiw apartments was robbed by her own home aide. The aide stole around $2500 dollars, using checks from the women's apartment as well as charging the woman's credit card. The aide was fired a short time later due to similar accusations against her from a different client.
www.startribune.com/local83916677.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDayscUiacyKUniciaec807EyUr
An elderly Hopkins Women living in the Augasta Chapel Veiw apartments was robbed by her own home aide. The aide stole around $2500 dollars, using checks from the women's apartment as well as charging the woman's credit card. The aide was fired a short time later due to similar accusations against her from a different client.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Community: Broderick
The only community that I am part of is my work community. I work at Target, in the last week I have learned that this community would be considered Quasi-Official. To me our store is my community and it has all four different types of community leaders, Official leaders of our community would have to be our ETL's (executive team leads) they must graduate from Target Business School before acquiring this role. This helps them to be more in-tune with the business aspect of the store, and less knowledgeable of how the store actually runs, which in turn reflects the notion that official leaders may seem disconnected with the daily lives of the actual community members. ETLS could also be considered the connectors of our community because ETLS are only allotted 2 years at each store, before they are transferred to another location, this helps them to bring new ideas to different stores. ETLS are also very in-tune with other stores in our district which allow us to know how these communities are solving similar problems/obstacles that we may be facing. The next leader is a civic leader, at our store this would be our team leads, the team leads work directly under the ETLS and directly above the team members, this helps them to know the interests and views of the team, but also what the official leaders expect of them, team leads also could be considered the catalysts of the community because they are most knowledgeable about how the store runs.
The aspirations of the Target community is to run our store in the most efficient and cost effective way as possible, while some of the members of the community may not have such strong passion or loyalty for the business, overall as a store, I think every one is really trying to do their best work to help themselves in the future (by having to do less work later) or to help the store succeed.
There are several civic places in our community, the two best examples would have to be at our huddles, and our chat sessions. Huddle is once a day for each team in the store, at huddle any member of the community has the opportunity to update the rest of the team on projects they may be working on, or they can also recognize other team members for something that they did. Chat sessions are once a month, at chat sessions team members have the opportunity to talk to the STO (store team lead) and the HR rep about issues they are having with the way the store is being run.
Most of the concerns that are talked about within the community are about how to keep our store running effectively, a lot of times people raise concerns about working conditions, (like temperature, lack of water fountains, cleanliness, and work-load) people also raise many concerns about how target may be effecting their personal lives and how these problems could be fixed.
The people in our community are kind of cliquey, each team in store sticks to themselves and they hold their specific team as most important, each team is like a family. The people who work on the same teams talk to each other with high regard and respect, but treat the people on other teams of the store as outsiders.
A lot of the people in the Target community have worked there since it opened, which in a right makes the way things have been done in the past directly effect how it will be done in the future, the fact that there are so many people that were part of the history of the store help shape it into something better. In our store we have just received a new STO, so it is defiantly helpful to have new and old ideas working with each other to improve the quality of the lives of people who are part of the community.
The aspirations of the Target community is to run our store in the most efficient and cost effective way as possible, while some of the members of the community may not have such strong passion or loyalty for the business, overall as a store, I think every one is really trying to do their best work to help themselves in the future (by having to do less work later) or to help the store succeed.
There are several civic places in our community, the two best examples would have to be at our huddles, and our chat sessions. Huddle is once a day for each team in the store, at huddle any member of the community has the opportunity to update the rest of the team on projects they may be working on, or they can also recognize other team members for something that they did. Chat sessions are once a month, at chat sessions team members have the opportunity to talk to the STO (store team lead) and the HR rep about issues they are having with the way the store is being run.
Most of the concerns that are talked about within the community are about how to keep our store running effectively, a lot of times people raise concerns about working conditions, (like temperature, lack of water fountains, cleanliness, and work-load) people also raise many concerns about how target may be effecting their personal lives and how these problems could be fixed.
The people in our community are kind of cliquey, each team in store sticks to themselves and they hold their specific team as most important, each team is like a family. The people who work on the same teams talk to each other with high regard and respect, but treat the people on other teams of the store as outsiders.
A lot of the people in the Target community have worked there since it opened, which in a right makes the way things have been done in the past directly effect how it will be done in the future, the fact that there are so many people that were part of the history of the store help shape it into something better. In our store we have just received a new STO, so it is defiantly helpful to have new and old ideas working with each other to improve the quality of the lives of people who are part of the community.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
First Day at ARCC: Christensen
My first day at ARCC was in Fall '08, so please bear with me. Before moving to Minnesota I attended another School, College of Dupage, (in my hometown of Wheaton IL.) In my community COD, bragged of being one of the best community colleges of the nation but every one in nearby towns took the school for granted referring to it as "College of Dreams." My first day at Anoka Ramsey made me realize the pros and cons of that school, which in-turn made me see the pros and cons of ARCC. Upon first walking up to the ARCC I was intrigued by the fresh smell of Mississippi behind the School as well as the vines that seemed to swallow the building whole. However, once inside I began to realize that this school was going to be alot different then COD. My first day of Classes I was attending Concert Choir, History of Rock and Roll, and International Literature, (I was also enrolled in history of Britain during the Middle Ages, but that class was only on Tuesday and Thursday.) I was a very active participant in the music department at our high school and choir is one of my passions. The first impression I got from the concert choir was outstanding, our director reminded me of one of my best friends (who coincidentally is majoring in music/teaching) and the most of the class had very impressive sight-reading skills, which is a huge obstacle that can slow down many a good choir. We were singing Vivaldi, it was awesome. I will never forget the next class, which happened to be in the same room (something I would have to get used to) History of Rock and Roll, this class was available at my high school, but I never got a chance to take it, so I jumped at the opportunity when seeing it was offered at ARCC. The best thing about this class was how much I learned in one day, I remember on the first day, one of the students in the class asked the professor what he thought the best rock and roll song of all time was, he simply turned to the massive stereo system and turned on "Sherry" by Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons. Since that day I have not only loved the Frankie, but I've been dying to see Jersey Boys. After that class I had a couple hours to explore the school, and like I said earlier I soon appreciated each different Community College. I don't know for sure how many people attended COD, but I know that the massiveness of it made it seem more like a business then a school. ARCC is much smaller then my old school, which at times can be very frustrating, (like waiting in line for the book store, or trying to find classes that fit my schedule) but the fact that it's small is what makes it great. This school is much more of a Community then a business and it is much easier to become personable with the students and faculty that work here then at a bigger school. Knowing familiar faces at the book store, financial aid offices, business offices ect., helped me to feel comfortable and welcome, and every time I walk into the school, I know that every one is on my side.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Christensen: News Summary #3
Iditarod funding has been reduced this year due to Cabella's and Chevron announcing that they will not be renewing their sponsorship for the 2010 season, their contributions added up to roughly 35 percent of the event's annual revenue. Since the event will not be televised this year either the race's only source of income is donations and auction items.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/sports/02iditarod.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/sports/02iditarod.html
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Story 1: Christensen
A deadly crash occurred at 6:45 this morning when two trucks collided on Interstate 790. The crash resulted in a 14 car pile-up and involved two additional semi-s. Two drivers were killed at the accident and 20 other commuters were injured. Two of the victims involved were in serious condition and were flown to the Statesville Trauma Center via the "Life Flight" helicopter.
All five of the Plymouth city's ambulances were called to the scene along with the help of ambulances from the four surrounding cities. The accident occurred on the northbound lanes of I-790, and closed the entire highway, which forced the morning commuters to reroute to I-690 and resulted in a three hour delay.
Fire Chief Tony Sullivan commented on his observations upon arrival to the crash site, " The crash scene looked like something from a war zone, with bodies laying along the road, people covered in blood sitting next to their cars, sirens wailing in the distance as more fire trucks and ambulances were called." Sullivan reported that three of the cars involved in the devastation had to be cut open from the roof to free the trapped drivers from inside, and stated that of the 19 years of that he has been with the fire department, he has never seen an accident as bad as this.
According to on-the-scene Police Officer, Sgt. Albert Wei, the police department is not done investigating the cause of the accident, and that I-790 will remain closed until further notice.
All five of the Plymouth city's ambulances were called to the scene along with the help of ambulances from the four surrounding cities. The accident occurred on the northbound lanes of I-790, and closed the entire highway, which forced the morning commuters to reroute to I-690 and resulted in a three hour delay.
Fire Chief Tony Sullivan commented on his observations upon arrival to the crash site, " The crash scene looked like something from a war zone, with bodies laying along the road, people covered in blood sitting next to their cars, sirens wailing in the distance as more fire trucks and ambulances were called." Sullivan reported that three of the cars involved in the devastation had to be cut open from the roof to free the trapped drivers from inside, and stated that of the 19 years of that he has been with the fire department, he has never seen an accident as bad as this.
According to on-the-scene Police Officer, Sgt. Albert Wei, the police department is not done investigating the cause of the accident, and that I-790 will remain closed until further notice.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
News Summary #2: Christensen
Kristen Driscoll pleaded guilty to the criminal vehicular charges against her after hitting and killing 48-year-old Christopher Iverson in St. Paul last June. Driscoll was confirmed to have a blood-alcohol-level of .217 percent and was sentenced to 8 months in a work house as well as probation.
http://www.startribune.com/local/82700112.html?page=1&c=y
http://www.startribune.com/local/82700112.html?page=1&c=y
Friday, January 22, 2010
Broderick: Blogs in all their Glory
What makes a blog a blog is the ability to write the news/personal thoughts/opinions in a manner that is distinct and original to the author. Although some are (biased), blogs are great because they are not biased, to me a blog is the the purest form of the blogger's true self because the blogger has the ability to post their own interpretation of the subject at hand. The best thing about blogging is the fact that other /followers have the ability to contribute to the original post. Although sometimes comments can be negative and obnoxious, the beauty of blogging is, that for some reason when written in text, insults, and negative comments are much more easily shrugged off, while positive comments flatter the blogger and encourage them to write more. Interactions between the blogger and the followers help create a better understanding of the original post and may help open the eyes of many people that read the blog, which ultimately helps everyone understand each other. The most challenging thing about blogging for me is being consistent, in "Journalism 2.0" it said that one of the things that constitutes a successful blogger was updating their blog everyday. I am new to blogging, however, I'm sure that once I am used to blogging, creating new posts will become more of a habit then school work, and I can't wait till then.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Christensen: Do's and Don'ts of leads
When writing a lead a couple helpful hints from the book have helped me to identify and create leads. The text says 1)Who? 2) Did what? 3) To whom? Although in the book this hint was used to help students from using a passive voice it has helped me figure out what really is the News of the story, and it also helps keep the lead more concise. Another helper for me is looking at sentence structure, the book says that most reporters follow the subject-verb-object word order, this helps me find leads and helps me organize the information in a manner that won't become confusing or grammatically incorrect. These tips are helpful to keeping the lead clear and short, however they don't really show how to make a lead interesting. A good way to make a lead short and interesting at the same time is by writing only the necessary information first, then spicing it up once the news is clear. However, not ALL leads follow these rules, but as a beginner these hints definitely make my life a lot easier.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Christensen: Journal-News Summary
New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/technology/19antitrust.html?ref=technology
German Publishers are filing complaints against Google, believing that Google is taking away from their company's revenue. German Publishers are trying to pass a copyright that would require internet search engines to buy licenses before displaying their information freely on the web.
German Publishers are filing complaints against Google, believing that Google is taking away from their company's revenue. German Publishers are trying to pass a copyright that would require internet search engines to buy licenses before displaying their information freely on the web.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Introduction
My name is Angelina, I have always had a strong interest and passion to anything that has to do with english, so this semester I am exploring journalism to see wheather this is the direction I should take my career path. This semester I am taking Jour 2131, Online Publishing, with Profesor Broderick, as well as Media Writing with Professor Christensen. Both Journalism Classes I am taking will be using my Blog, so I apologize in advance to those who have to comment on my posts, I will try to make it clear as possible which posts are for which class. Now more about me, I grew up in Warrenville, a small town about 30 miles West of Chicago. I moved to Minnesota in June of 2007 with my best friend. I work as a receiver at the Target store in Brooklyn Center and I am currently living in Plymouth with my Fiance, RJ and my cat, Doctor.
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