George Sanchez Speaks from Arizona

Hey all

I've been in Tucson, AZ. for just over three months now. All is well despite the extreme weather. I've been covering the Tucson Unified School District, which isn't used to aggressive reporters, and have so far dug up serious problems in student transportation, class room management and questionable financial decisions. In my third week I was able to cover EZLN spokesman Subcomandante Marcos' visit to Sonora, Mexico (where the federales pulled me over...) and am currently working on a piece about how California inmates are now getting shipped to a private prison in AZ. to alleviate CDCR overcrowding.

I've kept a close eye on my previous workplace, The Monterey County Herald, and all the changes that have taken place following the demise of Knight-Ridder and Dean Singleton's move to pick up all their Nor-Cal papers.

Musically, I traded in my telecaster and punk rock for a jarana and son jarocho. I found a maestro who's originally from East LA and is teaching me how to play jarocho, Mexican folk music from the state of Veracruz (What's jarocho? It's the traditional stuff at the end of Los Lobos' recording of La Bamba...) My maestro and his wife, head of UA's women's studies department, have really taken me in and shown me around town, including introducing me to members of the Yaqui/Pascua community (the indigenous of the Sonoran desert).

This years IRE convention is in Phoenix, so I hope to see some of ya'll there. Conversely, I'll be in San Jose for this year's NAHJ convention.

Look me up should you find yourself in the south west. www.azstarnet.com

desde la frontera,

george

Shameless Self-Promotion #1

So, have you ever wondered what types of high-tech accessories you can buy for your notebook or iPod? No? Well, I haven't either, but I had to write up 2,800 words about them, so hopefully you'll get some use from my "reportage."

http://computershopper.com/roundups/200610_28_must-have_tech_accessories_1

*If you're asking what the heck is that image of, it's a notebook cooler. It has fans that turn on to cool your computer, so you don't burn your lap or cause it to overheat on a desk.

John Carroll on C-SPAN

I tuned into the final minutes of this C-SPAN segment in which John Carroll talks about the current state of journalism, at Trinity College. I can't seem to find a video archive anywhere, but hopefully C-SPAN will re-air it.

He talks a bit about the Tribune Co. and the L.A. Times, and also about new media, i.e. Internet and blogging. He says a lot of things that I agree with, that there is no accountability in new media. While new media, blogs in particular, allows everyone to exercise their freedom of speech, they should uphold the standards that print reporters do. He also brings up the point that things will change when corporations, government, and libel lawyers get involve (which, I believe, is already happening).

Here's the link to where you can buy the video.

http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/cspan.csp?command=dprogram&record=536920982

Happy new year!

Nicole Zaloumis at ABC15 in Phoenix

Here's a nice link to photo and bio. Before next semester starts, the links on the left side *will* be updated.

Introduction

Hi everyone. My name is Melody Nazarian and I graduated with a communications major and journalism minor in 05. I have spent the past year-and-a-half completing internships (SF Downtown Magazine, Celebritycafe.com, San Mateo Daily Journal, etc) and freelance/contract work (Where Magazine, Citysearch, Gentry Magazine, etc). I also regularly write for a fashion/shopping blog called Omiru (www.omiru.com). Check it out if you're into that. I have yet to find a full-time gig in this field, but I think the contacts I have made along the way are finally starting to come through. That's it from me. I'd love to find out about other USF graduates and what they've been up to since graduation.

Testing, testing, is anyone out there?

So I've been doing the blog thing at my new job. Give me until the new year and I'll let you know what I think about this whole blog business. The one thing I keep wondering is, "Does anybody read this sh*t?"

I need hits! Please check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.computershopper.com/shoptalk

A New Internship: Hurrah!

USF Junior Brigid Moore has just gotten an internship at wcities.com, where 2006 grad -- and journalism minor -- Doug Madey is a/the content director.

If you need brief travel clips for your portfolio, contact Doug at dougmadey@gmail.com. They even pay a little.

Vrinda Kissed a Frog

well, not really :) this particular frog is an endangered species, so i
would be lucky to even see one. check out my recent news story on a little
guy with red legs who's up against a big bad water company with timber money
on its mind.

Vrinda

here's the link

Not Us at USF

A comment from Daily Kos:

Part of that challenge is the dead weight of old-school journalism professors, secure in tenure, railing against newfangled technologies and those crazy kids who are destroying their utopian, long-extinct view of what journalism should really look like.

Another Les Shu Update

I've recently accepted a position as a staff editor with
Computer Shopper magazine. I will be getting experience working on the
Web. I'm also continuing my freelance career, working with pubs such
as Best Life and Men's Journal. Pick up the November issue of Best
Life and I have a short piece in there.