11/28/2011
In today’s Times, I read the two articles about Black Friday and the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Both discussed the effects of the economy on this holiday season. I really liked the photo for the Rose Parade, while it is colorful and eye catching; it also speaks to what the journalist is saying about the meaning of the parade to the town. Some cities and companies could not afford to put in a float for the parade this year due to a tight budget, and citizens are unhappy about it. In these tough economic times, we really can’t expect companies, especially during the Christmas season to give thousands of dollars just to a float in a parade. Although I do understand the citizens’ frustration as their tradition is being broken.
The article about Black Friday shocked me; I could not believe there were more shoppers this year than last, and sales increased significantly, with each shopper spending about $400 – but it is good for the stores and good for the economy! The reporter said that most people at Macy’s in NYC were there simply just to be a part of the action. This was similar in my hometown; many kids went to Black Friday just to see what it was all about.
11/29/2011
I was intrigued and fascinated by the article on Stalin’s daughter, Lana Peters/Svetlana Stalin (whichever name you would go by, the writer used both interchangeably). This article would have been such a fun one to write! Not only did it explore Peters’ life and what she did, it explained her impact on the places she visited and how her father had a direct impact on her life, not just during his rule but in his death. The closing quote of the article, “I will always be a political prisoner of my father’s name”, really hit the point home. Her life was crazy and fascinating to read about: between her 5 different husbands, 3 kids all from different fathers, crazy antics like burning her Soviet passport in the US, seemingly bipolar actions, and inability to reside in a country for more than 2 years at a time, I was completely drawn into this article. The only thing I did not really like was the lead. To me, the road metaphor was just confusing and I still don’t really understand it.
I also read the article about the “shedding” of public sector jobs hitting blacks the hardest. It was eye opening to read that since the recession, in terms of unemployment, black people struggle the most. I thought the writer’s incorporation of interviewing a black family really invoked what they were specifically feeling, as one woman described it as “frightening” to think about her job in the future.
12/1/11
Just like Tuesday’s Times, the journalist did a profile story on a famous person who passed away, Judy Lewis. Judy was the daughter of Loretta Young and Clark Gable. It was really interesting to read this story because like the one on Tuesday, both women were shaped and influenced negatively by the decisions of their parents. The photos were so intriguing to look at because they were from the 30s and 40s and the journalist did a great job of collecting a variety of sources and opinions about the life of Judy Lewis.
I loved the article called “Literary Cubs” in section E. The huge picture on the front page caught my eye; four college students reading books in what looks to be a bookstore. The story, which has a highlighted quote “prying open the doors of the publishing world”, was opposite to what I was expecting. A group of college graduates who hold high degrees in English Literature get together once a week to talk about literary works, because they are unable to get a job elsewhere. They hope to open up their own publishing company. I really liked how the journalist did not only focus on one person in the group, but interviewed most if not all of them, giving a full 360 degree view of the literary group.
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