Sewage Spill from Mission Valley to Ocean Beach
9/23/09
A sewage spill in Mission Valley led on Wednesday to a coastal pollution alert in Ocean Beach, about five miles to the west.
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Sewage-Spill-from-Mission-Valley-to-Ocean-Beach/qWYuIGp6oEeMp2ZNMf20lQ.cspx
1. What is the issue, controversy or event in the story? What are the basic facts?
About 1,370 gallons of sewage spilled into Mission Valley Beach, and the waste managed to reach all the way to Ocean beach, and closed both of the beaches temporarily. This sewage flooded out due to a clogged sanitation line.
2. What information is missing from the story?
The article didn't say how the water was decontaminated, or if it was decontaminated at all.
3. What would be your next steps if you were creating a follow up to this story?
If I were creating a follow up story, I'd want to find out how clean the water was after the sign was taken down, and I would interview some of the people who had to deal with the issue about how they fixed the problem, and if they attempted to clean the waters. I'd also try to find out about all the most recent sewage spills, and say how many sewage spills in San Diego there have been within the past three years to see how big of an issue our sewage system really is to our oceans.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Outsiders (Honors Essay 1)
The Outsiders
D’Vaughn McCrae
Socials fight Greasers, Greasers fight Socials (Socs for short). That’s just how it was and that was the only world that Ponyboy Curtis, a thirteen year old Greaser, ever knew. But one night, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny get into a fight that ended when Johnny murdered a Soc named Bob. Ponyboy learned three things from that night: having a label doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else, fighting doesn’t solve anything, and if you want things to change, you have to change them for yourself.
Labels are clear cut in this story. Socs are the kids with the polo sweaters, Mustang convertibles, and money. The Greasers are the ones with the leather jackets, oily hair, and empty pockets. That’s all anyone really notices about each other and hatred builds from their lack of understanding what is beneath the surface characteristics. Greasers hated Socs because they perceived them as spoiled jerks. Greasers were hated because they were perceived as the kind of kids who were bound to get into trouble one way or another. They were stereotyped as typically dumb. Despite the stereotype, Ponyboy was an Honor roll student. He knew all Greasers weren’t like that and sometimes he worried he wouldn’t even fit in with his Greaser friends since he was considered smart. These narrow beliefs were shattered by two Socs - Cherry and Randy. Pony meet Cherry and got along with her instantly. He trusted her enough to tell her about the incident when Johnny was nearly killed by a group of Socs. Cherry pointed out that “all Socs aren’t like that…that’s like saying all you Greasers are like Dallas Winston.” Dallas was a Greaser in Pony’s gang who was known for going to jail multiple times and constantly getting into trouble. Pony knew that not all Greasers were the same and he was proof. But even so, Johnny still felt that separation between Socs and Greasers. Probably the biggest difference between the feuding groups was that the Greasers were the ones who had it tough with bad parents, and little money, while Socs were the ones who got everything handed to them on a silver platter. Cherry soon after says “things are rough all over”, but that didn’t make him believe it. Johnny couldn’t imagine that Socs would even have any real problems. He was still struggling to process the thought that Socs were all different too. Only when he talked to Randy about Bob did he finally realize that everyone has problems and struggle.
“Bob was a good guy. He was the best buddy a guy ever had. I mean, he was a good fighter and tuff and everything, but he was a real person too” was one of the first things Randy said to him. How could a label be expected to fully define a person? How could a label sum up the whole person. Everyone has their own complexities. Pony was surprised to learn that Bob even had problems at home with his parents. “He kept trying to make someone say ‘no’ and they never did…That was all he ever wanted.” This was the line that really got Pony thinking until he finally realized that not even Socs have it too great. Bob longed for proof that his parents cared enough to keep him on the right track and stable so he found ways to get into trouble in hopes of prompting a response from his parents. Bob was yet another example of a Soc that lived beyond the stereotype.
The story creates the question “what is the good of fighting over a label?” and illustrates that there really isn’t any good in it. “It doesn’t do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing…Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs,” was one of the last things Randy said to Pony. Pony learned that fighting doesn’t make anyone better or worse than they already were. In the end, a fight is more likely to inspire more fights than stop them. Even if you punch someone’s face in, they’re still going to be who they were before the fight, and so are you. You may even be a little worse off than you were before because you end up just wanting to fight more, and in turn, you’ll have all the more reason to be angry, because nothing changes from it. There’s no positive accomplishment. Nothing changes from it. The war just continues.
If you want things to change for yourself, you’ve got to make it happen within yourself. Ponyboy hadn’t expected to go too far in life since his family was poor. College was expensive so, for a while, his hard work in school seems pointless. It was Darry, Ponyboy’s oldest brother, who was always really strict with Ponyboy about his homework and grades. Ponyboy was a really smart kid. Darry reminded him there was a reason for that. Darry said, “With your brains and your grades, you could get a scholarship.” The story as a whole made the point that if a person – Greaser or Soc - wanted a better future, they were going to have to work for it. They may work for it in different ways. It may be stressful and difficult but you can get somewhere outside of where your current label has you now. A person can be whoever they want to be. Unfortunately, a lot of people limit themselves to societal pressures and the expectations of others. But society cannot tell you who you are. Each person determines if he will stay within the restrictions of the identity or if he will set a new course for himself.
People are people no matter what others think about them. We are all living here on this earth, with more in common than we may realize. We all have emotions, differences, and similarities. The fact is we’re all humans, no matter what we do or don’t have.
D’Vaughn McCrae
Socials fight Greasers, Greasers fight Socials (Socs for short). That’s just how it was and that was the only world that Ponyboy Curtis, a thirteen year old Greaser, ever knew. But one night, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny get into a fight that ended when Johnny murdered a Soc named Bob. Ponyboy learned three things from that night: having a label doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else, fighting doesn’t solve anything, and if you want things to change, you have to change them for yourself.
Labels are clear cut in this story. Socs are the kids with the polo sweaters, Mustang convertibles, and money. The Greasers are the ones with the leather jackets, oily hair, and empty pockets. That’s all anyone really notices about each other and hatred builds from their lack of understanding what is beneath the surface characteristics. Greasers hated Socs because they perceived them as spoiled jerks. Greasers were hated because they were perceived as the kind of kids who were bound to get into trouble one way or another. They were stereotyped as typically dumb. Despite the stereotype, Ponyboy was an Honor roll student. He knew all Greasers weren’t like that and sometimes he worried he wouldn’t even fit in with his Greaser friends since he was considered smart. These narrow beliefs were shattered by two Socs - Cherry and Randy. Pony meet Cherry and got along with her instantly. He trusted her enough to tell her about the incident when Johnny was nearly killed by a group of Socs. Cherry pointed out that “all Socs aren’t like that…that’s like saying all you Greasers are like Dallas Winston.” Dallas was a Greaser in Pony’s gang who was known for going to jail multiple times and constantly getting into trouble. Pony knew that not all Greasers were the same and he was proof. But even so, Johnny still felt that separation between Socs and Greasers. Probably the biggest difference between the feuding groups was that the Greasers were the ones who had it tough with bad parents, and little money, while Socs were the ones who got everything handed to them on a silver platter. Cherry soon after says “things are rough all over”, but that didn’t make him believe it. Johnny couldn’t imagine that Socs would even have any real problems. He was still struggling to process the thought that Socs were all different too. Only when he talked to Randy about Bob did he finally realize that everyone has problems and struggle.
“Bob was a good guy. He was the best buddy a guy ever had. I mean, he was a good fighter and tuff and everything, but he was a real person too” was one of the first things Randy said to him. How could a label be expected to fully define a person? How could a label sum up the whole person. Everyone has their own complexities. Pony was surprised to learn that Bob even had problems at home with his parents. “He kept trying to make someone say ‘no’ and they never did…That was all he ever wanted.” This was the line that really got Pony thinking until he finally realized that not even Socs have it too great. Bob longed for proof that his parents cared enough to keep him on the right track and stable so he found ways to get into trouble in hopes of prompting a response from his parents. Bob was yet another example of a Soc that lived beyond the stereotype.
The story creates the question “what is the good of fighting over a label?” and illustrates that there really isn’t any good in it. “It doesn’t do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing…Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs,” was one of the last things Randy said to Pony. Pony learned that fighting doesn’t make anyone better or worse than they already were. In the end, a fight is more likely to inspire more fights than stop them. Even if you punch someone’s face in, they’re still going to be who they were before the fight, and so are you. You may even be a little worse off than you were before because you end up just wanting to fight more, and in turn, you’ll have all the more reason to be angry, because nothing changes from it. There’s no positive accomplishment. Nothing changes from it. The war just continues.
If you want things to change for yourself, you’ve got to make it happen within yourself. Ponyboy hadn’t expected to go too far in life since his family was poor. College was expensive so, for a while, his hard work in school seems pointless. It was Darry, Ponyboy’s oldest brother, who was always really strict with Ponyboy about his homework and grades. Ponyboy was a really smart kid. Darry reminded him there was a reason for that. Darry said, “With your brains and your grades, you could get a scholarship.” The story as a whole made the point that if a person – Greaser or Soc - wanted a better future, they were going to have to work for it. They may work for it in different ways. It may be stressful and difficult but you can get somewhere outside of where your current label has you now. A person can be whoever they want to be. Unfortunately, a lot of people limit themselves to societal pressures and the expectations of others. But society cannot tell you who you are. Each person determines if he will stay within the restrictions of the identity or if he will set a new course for himself.
People are people no matter what others think about them. We are all living here on this earth, with more in common than we may realize. We all have emotions, differences, and similarities. The fact is we’re all humans, no matter what we do or don’t have.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Blog #12
List at least three questions that interest you for Media Saves the Beach! For each question, provide a little context, so we know where your thoughts are headed, why you thought of it, what you might do to answer it, etc.
Why are there so few trash cans and recycling bins on the beach? What would it take to add more?
I like this question because I've wondered about this since the 4th grade. Not to mention I can never manage to litter, because I always feel really guilty afterwords, and turn back to go pick it up. I've given up on even trying. But the only times I've really even considered littering is on the beach because sometimes I'll look around, and the next trashcan is a mile or so away. No surprise that many other people decide to litter. I was thinking I could try to book an interview with a government official that handles the beach issues of San Diego (maybe there are budget issues, etc). I'd take pictures of where garbage cans were, and where a lot of trash resided.
Why are so many dog beaches getting shut down?
I'm curious about this because I thought so many dog beaches were getting shut down because dogs pooped a lot on the beach, or something along those lines. But then I later learned that dogs provide less than 2% of the beach's water pollution. I'd find out where dog beaches used to be, and the reasons they were shut down by asking experts, and then ask people who go to dog beach why they like bringing their pets here so much/why it's important to them.
Which San Diego beach is the most polluted? Why?
I think this would be interesting to look into, because each beach has different aspects to them, and if we identify the problem, we can find some solutions. Some beaches are closer to sewage plants. Sometimes litter is found more in one place than another because it's more popular, etc. I'd pick out three very different beaches, test the water, and compare them. I'd then have to try and figure out why these beaches are this polluted through research, observation, and interviews.
Why are there so few trash cans and recycling bins on the beach? What would it take to add more?
I like this question because I've wondered about this since the 4th grade. Not to mention I can never manage to litter, because I always feel really guilty afterwords, and turn back to go pick it up. I've given up on even trying. But the only times I've really even considered littering is on the beach because sometimes I'll look around, and the next trashcan is a mile or so away. No surprise that many other people decide to litter. I was thinking I could try to book an interview with a government official that handles the beach issues of San Diego (maybe there are budget issues, etc). I'd take pictures of where garbage cans were, and where a lot of trash resided.
Why are so many dog beaches getting shut down?
I'm curious about this because I thought so many dog beaches were getting shut down because dogs pooped a lot on the beach, or something along those lines. But then I later learned that dogs provide less than 2% of the beach's water pollution. I'd find out where dog beaches used to be, and the reasons they were shut down by asking experts, and then ask people who go to dog beach why they like bringing their pets here so much/why it's important to them.
Which San Diego beach is the most polluted? Why?
I think this would be interesting to look into, because each beach has different aspects to them, and if we identify the problem, we can find some solutions. Some beaches are closer to sewage plants. Sometimes litter is found more in one place than another because it's more popular, etc. I'd pick out three very different beaches, test the water, and compare them. I'd then have to try and figure out why these beaches are this polluted through research, observation, and interviews.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The American Dream (Honors Civil War Paper/Blog 11)
The American Dream
By: D’Vaughn McCrae
The Civil War is often called “the beginning of modern America”. But what is Modern America? It certainly has a debatable answer since the word “modern” is so broad. But could The Civil War really be considered the beginning of all of that? We all know that before the Civil war, slaves were allowed, and races outside of the Caucasian race were looked down upon like dirt. But that is only one aspect of the history behind the Civil War.
The Civil War led to Abraham Lincoln writing The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves from the heavy shackles that bound them to a life with no choice of their own. It also brought on the 15th Constitutional Amendment that allowed every race their rights. Of course, these documents were not embraced by many Americans when they were first written. Most people back then still considered African Americans and Native Americans as something other than humans. In fact, the Ku Klux Klan, the Red Shirts, and the White League (all hate crime groups) were all born not long after these writings were presented.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th, 1865. That was the end of the progress that occurred back then, right? Not exactly. After the Civil War ended and Abraham Lincoln was killed, America came under new leadership. The Vice President, Andrew Johnson, took office. Although he was Lincoln’s second in command, Andrew Johnson basically had the opposite beliefs of the president before him. Johnson came from a Southern upbringing and did not have the same beliefs as Lincoln. In fact, Johnson wrote “Black Codes” to restrict the newly obtained rights of African Americans so the Caucasians of America wouldn’t fear the thought of African American’s being seen or treated as equals. To enforce his own policies, he put the south under new leadership of state governors. These governors were given power to actually make sure that African Americans were following the Black Codes and were not given the rights they had so recently gained. This was not the only decision made by him that was not quite pushing towards what America was working towards. In 1866, Congress wrote an earlier version of The Civil Rights Bill. Johnson vetoed it.
But through these mistakes and struggles Americans evolved and despite powerful leaders’ attempts to stop it, modern America had already been born and our progression was inevitable. For example, the first draft of The Civil Rights Bill was written in 1866, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this past draft played a major part in writing the final draft we have today. Had Abraham Lincoln not freed the African and Native American slaves, we might still be living in a hellish and underdeveloped land. America went from a time when cruel and brutal racism was an ordinary, every day condition and slaves were a normal part of American society, to a modern time when racism is generally looked down upon and slavery is considered primitive and barbaric.
Our progress throughout time has proved to be tremendous. America, in many ways has earned its title as “the land of milk and honey” but we have a long way to go. As modern as we’ve become, America still faces similar issues now to those back in the eighteen hundreds. For example, in 2008 a woman was shot after attending a Ku Klux Klan initiation ritual because she asked to be taken back to town. The leader of the KKK group shot her and eight people were arrested and charges of murder were filed. The group tried to hide her remains under some brush and burned her belongings to hide the crime. The authorities found the body of the woman along with Ku Klux Klan flags, robes, and weapons of theirs not too far away. This example illustrates that while modern America is a place where equality among all is emphasized and encouraged, the ideal is a goal we have not achieved.
Although The Civil War is often called the “beginning of modern America,” it was not the first time American “modern” ideas appeared. In 1776, nearly a century before The Civil War, The Declaration of Independence was signed. This document clearly birthed many, if not all, of the ideas and achievements that came out of the Civil War. The Civil War and the advancements that flowed from it could be described as the beginning of modern America – but it was just that – a beginning.
“All men are created equal” is one of self-evident truths that The Declaration of Independence lists. This was one of the very first documents to bring up the idea of equality for everyone and was undoubtedly a cornerstone of Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy for leading the country. Let’s not forget that throughout all the years, all the struggles, and all the triumphs, that goal of happiness and equality have been perpetual guiding principles in American evolution. “The pursuit of happiness” has always been and still is what America works towards.
"Female KKK Recruit Shot And Killed As She Left Initiation Ritual." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. 2 Oct. 2009
"Gett Kidz- What were they fighting about?." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. 2 Oct. 2009
"The Civil War." PBS. 2 Oct. 2009
"The Declaration of Independence - TEXT." Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America. 2 Oct. 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Blog 10
What is/was Reconstruction? What went well? What went poorly?:
Reconstruction was the time period that came after the civil war when the union tried to regain power over the confederate states once again. One attempt was creating Freedman's Bureau which was an organization made to help freed slaves with food, medical care, and other basic needs. Basically, Reconstruction was a time for African Americans to really get settled into America. However, the Reconstruction did not go quite as planned. Abraham Lincoln died in the midst of freeing the slaves, and his replacement's (Andrew Johnson) new reconstruction plan went against actually reconstructing the Union all together. Johnson made Black codes (codes that took away the rights of African Americans) in the southern states, and even vetoed the early version of the Civil Rights Bill. Johnson was later impeached. This was also a time where many hate groups started in the south such as the Red Shirts, and the KKK.
Why is it relevant today?: It's relevant today because without this time of struggle and triumph, we probably wouldn't have gotten as far as we are today when it comes to being united as a country, and giving every race equal rights. We usually learn from mistakes made in history, and The Reconstruction had plenty to learn from.
http://current.com/items/89518095_female-kkk-recruit-shot-and-killed-as-she-left-initiation-ritual.htm
This article is about a recent KKK killing. A woman tried to leave the KKK upon the entrance ritual (a sudden change of mind) but was shot by one of their members before she got a chance to do so. This clearly connects to The Reconstruction, because it's basically an update on how far, or not-so-far the KKK has come after over 100 years. Apparently, their still around even after all of this change in America.
Reconstruction was the time period that came after the civil war when the union tried to regain power over the confederate states once again. One attempt was creating Freedman's Bureau which was an organization made to help freed slaves with food, medical care, and other basic needs. Basically, Reconstruction was a time for African Americans to really get settled into America. However, the Reconstruction did not go quite as planned. Abraham Lincoln died in the midst of freeing the slaves, and his replacement's (Andrew Johnson) new reconstruction plan went against actually reconstructing the Union all together. Johnson made Black codes (codes that took away the rights of African Americans) in the southern states, and even vetoed the early version of the Civil Rights Bill. Johnson was later impeached. This was also a time where many hate groups started in the south such as the Red Shirts, and the KKK.
Why is it relevant today?: It's relevant today because without this time of struggle and triumph, we probably wouldn't have gotten as far as we are today when it comes to being united as a country, and giving every race equal rights. We usually learn from mistakes made in history, and The Reconstruction had plenty to learn from.
http://current.com/items/89518095_female-kkk-recruit-shot-and-killed-as-she-left-initiation-ritual.htm
This article is about a recent KKK killing. A woman tried to leave the KKK upon the entrance ritual (a sudden change of mind) but was shot by one of their members before she got a chance to do so. This clearly connects to The Reconstruction, because it's basically an update on how far, or not-so-far the KKK has come after over 100 years. Apparently, their still around even after all of this change in America.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Blog 9
What is the issue and/or controversy? Where can one get more information? In what way(s) does the story relate to our class? How might it tie in to our work for Media Saves the Beach?
"A nonlethal device best known for beating back pirates off the coast of Somalia was deployed by local police in San Diego at political gatherings, and even at a competition to build sand castles"
--September 14th, 2009
I suppose the issue is that this device, which is usually used to ward of pirates from cruise ships, is also used as a weapon, and was deployed during a time where kids and other pedestrians are likely around, and at that event. Apparently, this device can even damage hearing. Apparenty, Police Sheriff Bill Gore said that this device was "a precaution just in case." But is it really neccisary? And why around these events? I think this story relates to our class because it's another way our beaches are possibly being misused, depending on what side of the argument your on. It could tie into our work because it could probably be the base of someone's project. Who knows what else is in that water?
You can find the article at: http://current.com/1isru4c
You can also find more information in: East County Magazine (Find link in article),
"A nonlethal device best known for beating back pirates off the coast of Somalia was deployed by local police in San Diego at political gatherings, and even at a competition to build sand castles"
--September 14th, 2009
I suppose the issue is that this device, which is usually used to ward of pirates from cruise ships, is also used as a weapon, and was deployed during a time where kids and other pedestrians are likely around, and at that event. Apparently, this device can even damage hearing. Apparenty, Police Sheriff Bill Gore said that this device was "a precaution just in case." But is it really neccisary? And why around these events? I think this story relates to our class because it's another way our beaches are possibly being misused, depending on what side of the argument your on. It could tie into our work because it could probably be the base of someone's project. Who knows what else is in that water?
You can find the article at: http://current.com/1isru4c
You can also find more information in: East County Magazine (Find link in article),
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Media Saves The Beach: My Ideas (Blog 8)
What ideas do you have for Media Saves the Beach? What content interests you? What projects might you create?
At the moment, when I think of Media Saves the beach, I think of actually participating in beach clean ups and extensive research on whatever subject I choose. By extensive, I mean I'm going to have to look up information and statistics from ten years ago to make certain comparisons. I'm considering doing the calendar project, because I think it's for a good cause, and it would give me a glimpse in what it takes to publish something. However, if I don't manage to make the cut for the calendar project, I'm going to go with photojournalism. My current interest lies in testing the water, and/or finding out out how much litering has increased or decreased throughout the years, though I'm not sure I can do that.
At the moment, when I think of Media Saves the beach, I think of actually participating in beach clean ups and extensive research on whatever subject I choose. By extensive, I mean I'm going to have to look up information and statistics from ten years ago to make certain comparisons. I'm considering doing the calendar project, because I think it's for a good cause, and it would give me a glimpse in what it takes to publish something. However, if I don't manage to make the cut for the calendar project, I'm going to go with photojournalism. My current interest lies in testing the water, and/or finding out out how much litering has increased or decreased throughout the years, though I'm not sure I can do that.
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