If it bleeds, it leads

The (Only) Ten Basic News Stories by Psychology Today (dot com) has effectively summed up what the news is. I've not been one to complain about how corrupt the media is, because everyone knows it is, but I've heard some people sound like they've just discovered the secret to all news coverage and I just wanted to note that. Mostly, I'm posting this to lament about the death of journalism, in some respects.

When I first started high school and learned about the basics of journalism, I was really in awe of its integrity and honor. I had to cover basic opinions stories and features, and I did it with a lot of interest and passion. But as a poor journalism student, working towards publishing a newspaper that no one at school really read, you realize what kind of crap people rather read about. I cannot count how many times the staff has sat down to talk about story ideas, and we have to scrap dozens because we realize the school populus does not consist of individuals like ourselves. It's goddamn depressing, is what it is.

Ironically enough, I want to become an entertainment journalist/blogger extraordinaire (eventually). But it's because of this, really. I rather put out something distracting for the public to read, I guess. Thinking about filtering my writing really startles me. As it is, I keep cussing to a minimum on this because I want to make it reader-friendly and crap. But I don't want what I write to lose it's voice or argument. I don't want to pretend to like something like broadcasting at my school does. It's straight up awful, man. So here I am, up at 3am blogging about this.

My regular French/Disco House jamming session will now resume.

Congratulations

While FBN can't get over all the highly prestiguious awards they got at the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA), I quietly celebrate the small victory The Talon made. I won first place in the Carry-In Photo Contest, which I received mid-sentence. It kind of stamped and sealed the overall positive experience that was FSPA.

I had wanted to go when I was a Sophomore, but I couldn't because it was scheduled the same weekend as my younger sister's first communion. I just realized the greatest irony... the photo that won first place is actually a portrait I took of my sister for her first communion. Holy crap. Wow, that's incredible. Okay so anyway yeah, FSPA was a great experience. it really helped me realize that the only field of study I have any passion for is journalism/communications. I cannot think of a single thing I enjoy more, besides art, which I do not want pursue as a career.

Regardless, if you ever have the opportunity to go to an event like this, where various schools gather to learn about their trade and have an opportunity to network, show their skills, etc. you should take it. It'll be enriching like, 85% of the time. The other 15% is spent admiring the city, visiting vintage clothes and book shops, wishing you could get into the cool bars in Ybor City and having delicious milkshakes.

P.S. Havin' good vibes about summer.
P.P.S. Congratulations to all the winners!

First Bill 6, now this?

Seen above: Kids 17 and under vs. Miami Dade/Florida.
So I'm not sure if y'all are aware but Miami is passing a curfew law affecting 17 year old and younger citizens, taking effect May 1st.

Personally, I'm not allowed out too late and my parents care about me so they rather pick me up than have friends drive me around, so this curfew doesn't dramatically affect my life. But I know other Miami kids, and I see how they spend their weekend. I mean, this is Miami, man. We party all the time down here.

The following paragraph(s) are just rough draft teenage ideas on the flaws of this new law and ways it can be bypassed. I'm sure teenage masterminds who know how to do these things will appreciate the advice. I'm sure my ideas are flawed as well, but they're just thoughts, okay!

• This problem they're trying to fix is basically downtown. Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown and Upper Eastside. Are you for real, Miami? Leave Kendall, Westcester, Doral, Sunset, Pinecrest, Killian and everyone else out of it! It is clearly a bigger issue there.
  
• You can be out 'til whenever if you're with a 21 year old. What does a difference of four years make? The difference is one can legally drink. That's practical as hell.
  
• If you're working a job and are stopped past curfew you can say you're coming home from work. I can buy a uniform on eBay in a week if you really want me to. Really. If you're babyfaced enough and say this without looking like a liar, then I'm sure you can get away with this.
  
• Police are going to be catching kids past curfew and will take 'em down to the station where their parents need to get up in the middle of the night and pick up their kids downtown. You'd think that'd be the popular choice, I mean why wouldn't parents take care of their own kids? Well they're offering the option of a cop taking your kid home on top of that Guess what option I'm thinkin' most people will pick... you guessed it! The one where they don't have to get out of bed.
  
• I think they could use all this energy to super-mega-hyper-fine people who speed or drunk drive. I also think this is just really silly in general. I don't know, Miami's got to get itself put together. It's getting pretty annoying. Mostly the way I feel about it is that it's not going to make a significant impact and will thus get annoying for the youth who are not involved involved in criminal activity. I don't know what else to tell you!

All in all, the curfew is not that bad but I still think it sucks. Sunday through Thursday until 11pm, Friday to Saturday until 12am? Nah nah, you gotta chill with that Miami.

Read the article here @ The Herald