Catholic San Francisco

Today Dan Morris-Young, editor of the Catholic San Francisco newspaper, came to talk to my feature writing class about what he does, feature writing, and of course the newspaper. Well, I’m not Catholic at all so I figured that this newspaper would be boring and this guy would have nothing interesting to say. I was completely wrong because he was totally not the kind of person I thought would be editor of a Catholic newspaper. He said "damn," he talked about controversial issues, his other job/passion is diving, and he offered the students in my class the opportunity to write for the newspaper without questioning our own religious backgrounds. I think he’s pretty cool actually.

Morris-Young has got 40+ years of experience behind him and was the first editor of Catholic San Francisco, formally known as the Monitor (the newspaper was recreated in 1998). He says that the newspaper is half straight news and half feature writing. The paper goes out to about 70,000-85,000 homes in San Mateo, Marin, and San Francisco according to Morris-Young. He believes that a good feature story should have good narration, content, syntax, grammar, accuracy, and no fluff.

He was enthused by our interest in the paper and encouraged our involvement with writing feature articles for him in the future. In fact, USF graduate Michael Vick is a writer for Catholic San Francisco, and just recently wrote a feature story about his visit to Haiti. Though the paper is based on the Catholic religion I felt that it took a pretty neutral stance on a lot of issues. Anything offensive is not tolerated, and articles about intense issues such as stem cell research, abortion, celibacy, and pornography are possible stories according to Morris-Young. I was no longer discouraged about possible involvement with the newspaper after his visit. Even though I’m not Catholic I would read this newspaper- it’s got some good stuff.

View from the Heavens

Driving through a residential neighborhood and up a windy hill, the city of San Francisco will unsuspectingly emerge before your eyes. Tourist attraction during the day and make-out spot at night, Twin Peaks is the one-stop tour of San Francisco. Located in the heart of the city, Twin Peaks provides one of the most beautiful views San Francisco has to offer.

Elevated about 922 feet above the city, Twin Peaks is the only location where one can admire the vast majority of San Francisco city, and overlook Alameda, Oakland, and Berkley. Once you make it up the hill you are greeted by a small parking lot with a big view. Moving from left to right you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, the University of San Francisco, St. Ignatius church, the Palace of Fine Arts, Alcatraz, downtown, Market Street, the Bay Bridge, and the residential areas throughout the Bay. Looking out at the crowded city you are reminded that Twin Peaks is one of the only places that has not been developed into a shopping center or residential area. It is a beautiful view you don’t have to pay for.

During the day one can expect to find groups of tourists, families, and photographers enjoying the panoramic landscape. On this sunny day, a daring little girl strays away from her family and stands on the edge of the peak demanding that a nearby photographer take a picture of her. He ignores her request when she notices the camera in my hands and starts to pose. “This is my favorite place in the whole entire city because I can see my house,” said the little girl named Katie. In the corner far away from other sightseers sits a group of teenage boys quietly looking out into the sky. “We come up here as a family to relax and clear our minds ya know? We’re from here, the Bay Area. It’s good to take the time to appreciate what you got,” said 17-year-old Carlos, the oldest of his brothers.

However, at night Twin Peaks is a completely different scene. “My boyfriend took me to Twin Peaks when he asked me out, it was so romantic,” said Ashley Jones. At night Twin Peaks overlooks the city but instead of seeing landmarks you see bright lights, downtown buildings, and the outline of the Bay Bridge. Many people refer to it as the “make-out spot” of San Francisco. Foggy car windows and cuddling couples are not a rare sight during the PM hours at Twin Peaks. “When I was a freshman this guy took me on my first college date. We ended up at Twin Peaks and the view was amazing. I hate to say it, but we made out in his car,” admitted sophomore student from San Francisco State University, Jessica Stevenson. But others have found a different reason to travel to Twin Peaks at night. “To be honest, I smoke before I go up there. It’s the craziest thing ever to see. The lights are super intensified and it literally blows your mind,” said 19-year-old student Carly.

Day or night, this location is definitely a destination for tourists, visitors, and San Francisco natives. Jessica Perry describes it as, “Super relaxing and beautiful.” Whether it’s to relax, make-out, smoke, take pictures, or spend time with your family, Twin Peaks is the place to do it.

The Untreatable Epidemic

You can find them on the runway, you can see them worn on the streets, you can find them on the racks at most retail department stores, and you can even stumble upon them in the children section at stores like Target. Fashion icons, celebrities, adults, teens, and even children have fallen victim to the recurring trend of skinny jeans. It seems that this “must have” item has taken over and is here to stay.

Once considered a trend for “hipsters,” skinny jeans have integrated into many different styles. The slim pants conform to the shape of your legs, becoming slimmer the further down your leg they go. This style of pants that once filled the racks at stores like Hot Topic and Urban Outfitters can now be seen in high fashion stores like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom’s, Armani Exchange, Gucci, and Dolce and Gabbana. Trendy stores like Forever 21, H&M, Macy’s, and Charlotte Russe also carry skinny jeans at a much lower price. They can range anywhere from $20-$300.

These pants are worn by not only females, but males too. They come in denim, neon, khaki, corduroy, and almost every color thinkable. “I see skinny style pants everywhere. Everyone’s wearing them like they’re gonna go out of style,” said USF student Corinne Aparis. “Skinnys,” as people call them made their comeback in 2006 and have been spreading like an epidemic every since. “I wear skinny jeans because they compliment my figure and they’re comfortable. It’s a plus that they happen to be fashionable and I can wear them with my boots,” said Ashley Jones. Another reason that “skinnys” attract a wide range of people is because they accommodate people of all sizes. Skinny pants are offered in sizes 00-20/plus size, depending on the brand.

Ann Valdez, a 43-year-old mom of three admits that she too has given in to the “skinny jean craze.” “I remember when skinny jeans were popular in the 80’s, so I felt that they more of a ‘my era’ thing,” Valdez said. She confessed that she owns two pairs of skinny jeans and doesn’t mind that her 19-year-old daughter wears them too. “I saw my daughter wearing them and thought they were cute. A week later I saw other moms wearing them too, so I went out and bought a pair,” said Valdez.

It seems that everyone’s wearing skinnys these days right? “I don’t wear skinny jeans because they are too tight and reveal too much about my body, they are not flattering,” said student Olivia Washington. Washington is not alone, actress Liv Tyler reportedly told British magazine Cosmopolitan that, “I'm not into the skinny grey jeans look. I mean, KATE MOSS looks amazing, but everyone seems to be wearing skinny jeans, no matter what their size.” Despite the opposition, skinny jeans are still a popular trend. According to Forbes.com, “The latest luxury item comes in straight leg or boot…,” a reference to skinny pants.

Perhaps the popularity of skinny jeans can be accredited to their recent breakthrough into children’s fashion. Popular stores like Old Navy, Limited Too, Gap Kids, Abercrombie and Fitch, Babystyle, and The Children’s Place carry skinny jeans for children and even babies. This trend has reached out to most of the population including today’s youth, as young as babies. “The other day I was on the Muni and I saw a toddler wearing dark denim skinny jeans! I couldn’t believe it,” said Brittany Rien. It seems that skinny jeans are a trend that has taken almost everyone captive, babies included.

Wyclef Jean Rocks the House at USF

Wyclef Jean took over the school last Friday shooting his music video and giving USF students a concert to talk about for days. The bass was booming, the people looked fresh, and the staff was ready as students crowded around War Memorial Gym Friday for the concert of the year. As the DJ spun the hottest tracks, people filed in to the gym with excitement, anticipating Wyclef’s arrival.

As soon as Wyclef hit the stage the crowd went wild. He began the concert with his remixed song “President,” for which the music video was being shot, over the loud cheers of fans. He performed it a second time, provoking the crowd to “get loud,” and also informing them that it was being filmed for his music video. “When you tell people you’re filming them it becomes a whole different thing,” said Jean. People were sitting on each others shoulders, fans were cheering, and the vibe was live the second time around. USF got a taste of what it would be like to have Wyclef as President with promises like feeding the poor, bringing schools to the hood, finding cures for serious diseases, and legalizing “it.” Jeans vision was to have his video come from a college student perspective, “It needed a fresh eye,” he said. So why film at USF? “Everything is timing. I got a call from my nephew Darren asking me to perform and I needed to film a video. It all just fell into place,” Jean said.

Aside from his video, Jean put on a riveting performance. He performed a few new tracks from his newest album “The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant” like “Welcome to the East,” and “Sweetest Girl.” He even performed two old school tracks from his days as a member of the “Fugees.” But the crowds’ favorite new Wyclef joint was by far the last song of the concert called “Touch Your Button Carnival Jam.” The thirteen minute long song had fans pumped up and going wild. “You must have something to wave in the air, or else you got to move!” yelled Jean before performing this song. Feeding off of his energy, the fans went wild waving whatever they could find in the air above their heads.

After the concert Jean retreated back to his room where he snacked on chicken wings and answered questions for USFtv and the Foghorn. Still energetic, Jean commented on his musical influences, “I grew up in the Church so I listen to a lot of gospel. But I also love reggae and jazz,” he said. Jean also shares a love for instruments; he can play the drums, guitar, and piano.

When asked about his inspiration to produce music Jean commented that “Everyone has to go to work and work hard. It’s a gift when you enjoy what you do.” Jean’s work ethic may have been influenced by his background and growing up in Haiti. “Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Coming to the states gives you so much inspiration because of the opportunities. In America you can be who you want to be” Jean said.

Lastly, Jean discussed his foundation called “The Yéle Haiti Foundation.” The foundation seeks to change the lives of those living in Haiti in numerous ways. From delivering food to a neighborhood, to creating songs to put on the radio to gain support, the foundation sets out to help with Haiti’s long-term progress. According to Jean, “The objective of Yéle Haiti is to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and strength that is part of our heritage.” To get involved or participate, log on to www.yele.org.

Jean raised the bar with this year’s homecoming performance. USF has Jean’s nephew Darren Pierre, staff member of CAB, to thank for his persistency in asking his uncle Wyclef to perform. “Everyone’s going to be coming back for part two,” said Jean. He encourages everyone to go buy his newest album “The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant,” which features artists like Akon, T.I, Paul Simon, Shakira, Norah Jones, and Mary J. Blige. His advice: “My last joint ‘Touch Your Button Carnival Jam,’ put it on repeat!”

Sushi on the Day of Love

Loud music, large plasma TV’s, and big tables consume the small dinning area of San Francisco’s sushi spot Sushi Rock. This lively, modern, and upbeat restaurant is definitely not the most romantic place to spend Valentines, but more of a friendly, group-outing venue. Seemingly intended for a younger crowd, Valentines Day brought Sushi Rock a variety of customers. A group of rambunctious, most likely, single girls sat in the back, laughing and occasionally getting up to dance, an older couple dined near a window, and a large group of rowdy adults sake bombed at a long table in the middle.

For a busy day, the service was fast and expedient. Our group was sat minutes within walking in the door, and we were met by a long table with miso soup and cucumber-seaweed salad at every place setting. The menus were neatly placed next to glasses of water and a complimentary “refreshing towelette.” The arrangement was accommodating and sophisticated.

The menu had a number of selections, including other dishes besides sushi. Sushi Rock not only caters to those who may not be sushi fans, but also to those who are sushi fanatics. The diverse array of selections made it hard to make a dinner decision. The order was taken on a small palm-pilot looking devise and the server conveniently offered to split the bill in to separate checks. As our table waited we sipped on our warm miso soup, which brought joy to our taste buds as we anticipated our main dishes. No longer than ten minutes after placing the order, our food was delivered to the table.

The teriyaki salmon was cooked to perfection and the proportions were accommodating to my appetite. The salmon was complimented by the perfect amount of sweet teriyaki sauce along with salad and a medium sized bowl of rice. The presentation of the sushi looked a bit messy, regardless the taste was superb. One of the sushi rolls offered called the “phoenix roll,” composed of shrimp tempura, eel, avocado, and a layer of shrimp, was described by a customer as “A good, confusing mix of food that created an explosion in my mouth!”

The quality of the food and service outweighed the few things I did not like about Sushi Rock. The server did not offer our table drinks before ordering our meal, or at any time during the meal. And, when it did come time to order our server waited too long to check back after we were seated. Also, without asking if we were finished, the eager bus boys cleared our food. The last downfall was the one-person bathroom for the reason of inconveniency.

However, the pricing was fair for the proportions of food and excellent service. To top it off, at the end of dinner they brought out little cups of complimentary ice cream. Coming from a non-sushi lover, I would definitely go back to Sushi Rock.

my rating: ***

no star= none

* good

** very good

*** Excellent

**** Extraordinary

Sushi Rock information:

Address:

1608 Polk St.

Phone number: (877) 345- 1690

Hours:

Sun-Thurs: 11 am- 10:45 pm

Fri- Sat: 11 am- 12:30 pm

Happy Hour: 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Free Parking!

Katie Couric touches the topic of teens & sex

In 2005, Katie Couric touched upon the topic our parents have dreaded bringing up, but something everyone wants to know. In her special Couric brings together various teens and their parents where they all sit down and talk about sex. She asks the questions that most parents wonder, but never ask. Teens are invited to discuss sex in their lives and what outer influences effect their decisions. Parents are also allowed to address the issue of sex in their teens lives and what they think. If you watch the video and read the article you will hear and see a wide range of opinions from both parents and teens.
For me, I remember viewing this special as a Sophomore in High School and thinking that Couric was genius for running this special. Never before have I ever seen anything like this on T.V that took a neutral stance and had a balance of opinions from teens and parents. It was controversial, but almost necessary for todays generation to discuss. Sex has always been seen as "taboo" in the U.S but more and more teens are engaging in sex at younger ages. Many parents don't understand because their generation was not as sexually active as todays.
I think that Couric did a great job as a journalist with this issue and covered the topic appropriately.

Journalism Alumni return to USF

“Get an internship!” was the most common advice offered by the panel of USF alumni Journalists during the first ever Journalism Panel Discussion. This event allowed USF students interested in Journalism to get a hint of reality and helpful advice from a panel of successful Journalists.

The eight panelists, Tannie Soo Hoo, Vicky Nguyen, Jennifer Jolly, Tiffany Maleshefski, Kent German, Jessica Dryden Cook, Myra Sandoval, and Toan Lam gathered in Fromm Hall Tuesday, October 16, 2007 to discuss their experience with journalism, their careers, give some advice, and answer audience questions. Following the panel discussion it was fair game for the young, eager journalists in the audience to get their questions answered.

During an interview with Vicky Nguyen, a general assignment reporter for NBC 11, Nguyen said that internships are a great way to build credibility and learn, urging that anyone remotely interested in journalism get as many internships as possible. Moments later the lights went out and the room went dark. Un-phased, Nguyen continued to answer the question at hand. As the dark room cleared, Nguyen got real. Her answers turned from facts to advice, her tone became less assertive, and instead of standing she sat on the panel table. According to Nguyen, a journalist must be prepared for anything and often times that may take them out of their comfort zone. She also said that being shy won’t get you anywhere, and aspiring journalists must be assertive.

Nguyen started her career right out of college in Orlando Florida where she shot, wrote, and edited her stories. On the topic of convergence, Nguyen said that it is important to have some knowledge of skills other than the skill a journalist specializes in because they become more useful and beneficial to their employer. She said that her job gives her “instant gratification,” and provides amazing experiences that makes her love what she does. When asked how she handles sensitive cases and stories that involve the emotions of others Nguyen said “There’s a lot of pressure, but you have to be in job mode. You have to get there, be professional, but be human and respectful at the same time. Like, I’m the kind of person who cries when other people cry, but I can’t do that on the job.”

“Don’t be afraid,” said Nguyen when offering advice. She works 50 hours weeks, makes low six figures, and loves every minute of her job. “It is what you make of it,” she said during the panel discussion.

Another member of the panel who graduated from USF with Nguyen is Toan Lam. Lam, who now works at KRON, stressed the importance of internships. During his college education at USF, Lam had five internships. “Dress professionally at internships and act like you belong because you never know when you could be on camera,” said Lam. His advice mainly stressed the importance that young journalists get as much experience as possible and “get an internship!” “Are you willing to be broke? Are you willing to move to Timbuktu? Because if you want it, you’ll get it,” said Lam. His advice came from his personal and professional experience with journalism and his career.

Every member of the panel had valuable advice to offer, but it seemed as though almost everyone came to an agreement that internships are the most crucial part of getting started in the field of journalism.