Manjoo Post

  "True Enough" focuses on what is the truth. 
  The start of the book reviews the case of three-year-old Eliza Jane Scovil.  She came down with what seemed to be a run-of-the-mill cold.  Pediatricians believed she was just like every other child her age, but they were unaware that her mother, Christine Maggiore, was tested positive for HIV.  “Maggiore had come to accept the unconventional views of a sets of activists who argue that HIV does not cause AIDS,” Manjoo writes.
  Eliza was never tested for HIV and her mother believed that taking antiviral medications would not benefit her in any way.  After Eliza died from this sudden unknown illness, her mother still did not believe HIV was a factor.      
  Autopsy results later revealed that AIDS was Eliza's cause of death.
“The death of a little girl in Los Angeles may not look immediately germane to the thesis of this book: that the limitless choice we now enjoy over the information we get about our world has loosened our grip on what is—and isn’t—true,” writes Manjoo. “What killed Eliza Jane, then, was not only a disease but more precisely the lack of notice and care for a disease—a denial even, that her condition existed. What killed her was disregard for scientific fact. It was the certainty with which her parents jettisoned the views of experts in favor of another idea, their own idea, far removed from observable reality. It was a willingness to trade in what was true for what was merely true enough.”
  Eliza's parents were in denial about her having this disease.  Maybe they just did not want to face the harsh reality.  But in reality, the truth hurts.
  Manjoo goes on to discuss that people in today's society are living in a bubble of what they want to believe over what is true.  Photos can be photo-shopped to the point where all photos can be questioned as to whether or not they are true.
  The internet is a pool of information.  Some of it true, but most of it false.  It makes it even more difficult for journalists to find the RIGHT information.  We need to check and re-check our sources of information.  Anyone can freely put anything on the internet and mark it as true.  But we live in a "post-fact" society that does not allow us to be trusting of others, despite how legit the sources appear to be.
  It will take a lot of work, but that is just part of the job for journalists in today's post-fact society. 

Courts

  As a college student, my peers may occasionally end up in court for various reasons.  I most often hear about traffic court.  Speeding, running red lights, making illegal U-turns.  Citations for these civil offenses could all be appealed in traffic court.
  I got a ticket for making an illegal U-turn a few years ago at the corner of Fletcher and Bruce B. Downs.  I was new to the USF area and I was on the phone and did not see the No U-turn sign.  To my dismay, there was an officer waiting discreetly in a parking lot, ready to pull over any offenders.  I saw flashing lights behind me shortly after I made the U-turn and I thought, "Oh Sh**."  He gave me a $123 ticket.  Looking back, I should have taken it to court.  I had no previous tickets and I believe I should have gotten off the hook with a warning.  The fine seemed a little steep to me.  Now I see people make U-turns at the corner and get away with it all the time and I can't help but feel like they're getting away with murder.
  I most likely would have lost my case, but the principle of the matter would be enough for me to stand up for if I could go back in time.
   Back then, I was not as aware of the court system as I am now.  It is not as intimidating as I thought.
  The clerk of court states "The Traffic Department maintains all records pertaining to traffic citations issued to persons in Hillsborough County and all parking tickets issued by law enforcement agencies outside the Tampa city limits in Hillsborough County."  They collect fines and set court dates for traffic infractions.
  Criminal traffic violations such as DUI or driving with a suspended license require offenders to schedule a court date within 10 days of the violation. 
  When I got my ticket, my options were listed by the officer.  Because I received a civil citation, I had 30 days to request a court date to appeal my case, attend traffic school to avoid receiving points against me on my driver's license, or simply pay the fine.  I chose traffic school.  I remain a safe driver.

  

 

William March Visit

   Chief political reporter, William March, from the Tampa Tribune came to our class to discuss campaign finances and contributions.  At one point, I felt like were were solving a mystery.  His reporting looks beyond the surface and reveals the truth behind campaign contributions.
  March explained that soft money is money given to a political party where you have no contribution limit.  He used Mark Jimenez from Future Tech as an example.  It was found that he and members of his company were donating soft money to Bill Clinton's campaign.  Innocent enough.  Except, March discovered that none of these people had donated before, were registered voters, and had not voted in past elections, so why were they donating money all of a sudden?  Questions arose about a possible scam on Jiminez' behalf.  This became a story.
   March uses different websites to research voters and campaign finances: Opensecrets.org, maplight.org, CQMoneyline, and the Florida Division of Elections website, which he uses the most.
  March says that anyone who makes a federal contribution is required to report their occupation/ employer.  This is how March found out about Jimenez and his company/ co-workers.  March says he spends a lot of time looking for information before actually finding it.  Patience and the ability to be thorough in research is key for good reporters.

Meeting #2

  A few weeks ago, Healthy Start was holding a Resource Roundtable at Mary Lee's House on Armenia, and I attended it.  The meeting began at 9 a.m. and lasted until noon.  It consisted of different behavioral health organizations in Hillsborough County.  A representative from each organization spoke on behalf of the organization to explain the benefits and resources available to Healthy Start.
  Healthy Start is an organization that works with at-risk mothers to help each of them have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy first year of life for mother and baby.  Healthy Start works with organizations such as Success 4 Kids & Families, Department of Children and Families, etc.  S4KF focuses on wraparound services to help children with mental illness so they may thrive in the community without the use of institutionalization.  Whereas, other organizations may focus more on medication and institutionalization. 
  This meeting was of interest to me because my minor is behavioral health.  There is a gap in the system between physical health and mental health services delivery.  People do not know much about it so there is not as much opportunity out there for people to seek help for mental illness as there is for physical illness. 
  I was surprised when the representatives spoke about all the resources available in the county because I had no idea there was so much available.  YMCA has a kinship program that helps relatives work toward gaining custody of a child when a parent may be unable.  Another program, Parents as Teachers, helps parents learn valuable things to teach their children.  I was unaware of these resources before attending this meeting. 
  I believe it is kept on the "down-low" because most people with mental illness do not care to talk openly about it.  There is a double-standard with physical and mental illness.  The stigma surrounding mental illness keeps people from seeking the proper treatment.  We need to expand our education to have an open mind and end the stigma.
    

Thoughts about Election 2010 *Extra Credit*

  First, I cannot stress enough how important it is for people to vote.  I voted early and I was in and out of the polls within 20 minutes.  I'm extremely busy and I was able to find time to vote.  I just made it part of my schedule that day.  Don't be lazy!  If you didn't vote this time, register and go vote for the presidential election!  I'm sure it will be an unforgettable election year. 
  I believe that despite the dwindling number of votes among young people in this election, there was still a lot of excitement at the polls.  People want change.  Real change.  There were major political issues brought up at the USF Senatorial debate on Oct. 24.  Meek, Rubio, and Crist debated tax cuts, immigration, the economy, foreign policy, etc.  These are all extremely relevant, important issues right now.  I was glad to see their stances of different topics.  It opened my eyes to a lot when I went to vote.
  It was also an exciting election for me because my dad is good friends with Rick Scott.  He attended a few of his governor rallies and celebrated with him after his win this week.  I feel like we have a real connection with our governor, and that could open up doors for me.  Wishful thinking of course..
  I found it interesting how close the race for governor came to be.  Forty-eight percent voted Alex Sink, while 49% voted Rick Scott.  On the news, they said it was the closest governor race in over 100 years.
  On a side note, the political commercials seemed to bash the other candidates less than in previous elections, which was refreshing.  Although, I still got annoyed with the commercials.  It ended on a very "red" note, and hopefully a very positive note as well.

Meeting #1

  I attended the Fla. US Senate Debate held at USF on Oct. 24.  With the election coming up, I believed this was an important event to witness.  Candidates Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio, and Charlie Crist faced off, focusing on important issues such as securing US borders, tax cuts, the economy, etc.
   The candidates had many disagreements about tax cuts and whether or not the war has made the world safer.  Meek felt strongly that we would have been better off if Bush was not in office during the 9/11 attack; his lies created more problems for us.
  Meek appeared to be in favor of middle-class needs.  I liked that Rubio supported job creation.  That's what we all need in this economy.  People are stuck working in jobs they are overqualified for because there are no jobs.  I've heard politicians promise job creation before, and I'm just hoping the promises are kept.  I also liked how Crist was in favor of women's rights.  As a woman, I appreciate when men have the respect to let us choose.  It is not fair to take that choice away from us.  Nothing makes me more livid than seeing a man protesting abortion on the side of the road in front of a women's clinic.  Makes me wonder if those men do it for attention or just to start an uproar among women.
  I was glad CNN came to USF to hold this debate.  It got me excited for the election, and I think it is important to hold these debates on college campuses because young people need to vote. 

Preston Trigg.. Take Two.

  Trigg returned with an educational presentation about budget for journalists.  As he mentioned in his last visit, money is the root of all good and evil.  Money is what makes the world go round.
  Every successful business keeps track of finances in some way.  Every business has a budget to follow.  The money a business takes in (revenue) and spends (expenses) is what makes up budget.  "Money in, money out."  Debt may also be a part of the budget.  The government obtains its revenue through city fines, taxes, etc.  I can only imagine the number of parking fines given out on USF campus each day.  These fines go into the university budget to help pay for things that we may not even "need."  Like the Bull statues in front of the Marshall Center.  Do they look pretty?  Sure.  Do we "need" that?  Absolutely not.
  All government budgets in Florida are public, so we may obtain copies of these budgets.  Trigg gave us a comical example of a story created out of budget increase and decrease findings.  The budget will let you know where the money is going.  If money was used toward a company trip to Vegas, the public may not respond well to that.
  It is key to look for certain increases in the budget when reporting, such as personnel increases, to find out if there have been government raises.
  Trigg reiterated how important it is to ask questions.  There is nothing worse than obtaining false information and allowing it to be published when you could have saved yourself by just asking questions.  Do not burn bridges with budget officials because they are a great source to have.
  Trigg proved that budgets may seem boring, but they may be transcribed into interesting, informational stories in the end.  "The devil is in the details." 

Just in time for Halloween.....

  Our last field trip this semester was definitely one to remember.  I just got home from the trip not too long ago, and my first thought was to blog about it, so here it is.
   You can say I'm naive, but I did not expect to see what I saw today.  I called my mom and my sister after leaving the medical examiner's office, and they both said, "What did you expect?  You knew you were visiting a morgue."  I guess I'm just used to the other trips we've taken this semester; nothing more visual than a slide show.
  I got to the medical examiner's office at 2 p.m.  I thought to myself as I was driving into the parking lot, "I never knew there was a morgue this close to campus."  I walked into the lobby and signed in.  Then we gathered into a meeting room with an overhead projector, where Vernard Adams, MD. spoke to us about gathering public records in a medical examiner's office.  It was pretty standard information.  No photos are allowed to be taken in the facility to respect the privacy of the grieving families.  We were split up into two groups for the tour of the facility.
  We saw the different rooms in the administration building, then our tour guide, Manger of Operations Dick Bailey, took us outside and over to the morgue next door.
  I knew we were going to see the exam rooms where autopsies take place, but I believed we would not see any dead bodies.  I mean, the staff wouldn't make a bunch of journalism students witness something so gruesome, right?
   We initially went into the room where bodies are stored.  It was a cold 56 degrees in the room, which is warmer than the usual 37 degrees.  They had it set at 56 degrees to conserve energy.  We were all starting to shiver so we stepped out and walked into the autopsy room.  I didn't see any bodies, but I noticed some blood on a table next to me.  This is when I started to get nervous.  Then, I saw one of my classmates point in horror at something over to the right.  Sure enough, I looked over and saw a dead body, sliced open with all of the insides exposed.  I had a mixture of feelings.  I didn't know if I wanted to cry or vomit.
  It did not even look real.  I've seen dead bodies and gore in movies, but never in person.  Almost like a train wreck, you don't want to see it, but you can't look away.  So I couldn't help but inspect the body, and sure enough, it was a real dead body lying there. 
   We quickly went into the X-ray room.  I felt safe.  Then, an examiner opened the door with a skull in his hands.  The coincidence made the situation slightly humorous, but I was honestly in shock.  I can still visualize the body lying there in my mind.
  The rest of the trip was honestly a blur to me.  I had a moment of PTSD after seeing my first dead body.  I wish we were warned we may see a dead body, but at the same time, I think not knowing is what added to the shock factor.  It made the experience one to remember. 


 

Steve Andrews

  The trip downtown to WFLA was eye-opening and it was one of my favorites so far.  It was a close second to the Orient Rd. jail visit.  I am always intrigued whenever I am in the presence of a well-known public figure.  In this case, seeing WFLA investigative reporter Steve Andrews live in the flesh was a special experience for me.  It is almost like seeing a celebrity on a smaller scale.
   My initial thought when I meet a well-known, experienced reporter is, "Wow, I wonder if I will ever be at that level in my career."
  There is a feeling of discouragement as I prepare to graduate this December.  I have heard from multiple professors that the industry is rough.  They gently prepare us for the many rejections we are likely to receive on the job hunt after college.
  At the same time, I believe there is truth to the idea that it really is about who you know.  Networking is so important.  Collecting business cards or remembering encounters with media professionals is a great way to get your foot in the door. 
   At first, I recognized the name, but not the face when we walked into the conference/ theater room at WFLA.  When Andrews showed us some clips of his investigative TV stories, I recognized him right away.  His broadcast stories have earned him six Emmys.
  He introduced with the story about State Attorney Harry Lee Coe.  Andrews did a broadcast a story that Coe had borrowed $12,000 from a few employees.  There were questions as to how he was spending this money.  The day after the story unfolded, Andrews found him dead.  Apparently, he had shot himself.  In the midst of an emotional time, Andrews received over a thousand emails in response to Coe's suicide so soon after the story broke.  Some emails were threatening, but Andrews took the time to respond to every email personally, explaining his take on the story.  Andrews said 95% of the people who wrote the nasty emails ended up apologizing later.  I respect Andrews for staying strong and holding his ground.
  My favorite story was about the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance (TBWA) and their extreme spending on food.  The company spent over $100,000 on food for employees in one year, including $9 cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  I loved how Andrews made the story lighthearted and interesting.  This story was definitely worthy of its award.

  I loved hearing Andrews' interviewing tips.  He said to come prepared with at least three questions you want answers to.  That way, if one question leads into something else and you go off on a tangent, you can always come back and remember what questions you wanted answered. 
  I always try to absorb as much information from media professionals as I can.  There is no better way to learn than to experience it in the field.  

Preston Trigg visit

  The Florida statutes states public records to be "All documents, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, recordings, software.. regardless of physical form.. made or received pursuant to law or in connection with transaction of official business."
  Director of administration and special projects, Preston Trigg, is a Hillsborough County tax collector.  Tax collectors are often referred to as "constitutional officers," along with sheriff, clerk of court, property appraiser, and elections supervisor.  I've always heard negative comments about tax collectors, but meeting Trigg helped me understand that they are people just like the rest of us.
  Hillsborough county tax collectors collect and distribute $2 billion worth of property taxes and special assessments a year.  They are elected every four years in presidential election years.  Also, 98% of customers rate their services good or excellent.
  Property taxes are very important public records for reporters because we can find out how rich a person is, how many properties they own, etc.  Trigg showed us the website www.hillstax.org, which allows people to access such public records.
  I thought it was interesting to learn that everything in Florida starts out as public record.  There are exemptions for school records, cases under investigation, private emails, most juvenile records, and recent autopsy photographs.
  I also found it interesting that Florida is one of the only places in the world where it is your constitutional right to look at government records.  Like Trigg said, "It's a beautiful thing."

   
 

Orient Rd. Jail Visit

  Halfway from my car to the jail reception area, I wondered if I should bring my purse inside or leave it in my car.  Once I walked inside, sure enough, I had to turn around and leave my valuables in the car.  The jail was a structured place.  They didn't fool around.  We had to sign in and get a tour badge before going in to the facility.  I found it surprising that none of us had to walk through a metal detector, considering the jail's high security rules. 
  I learned that only one door can be opened at a time so no one can escape.  Although, the officer informed us that escapes have occurred in the past. 
  "The inmates have 24 hours a day to figure out ways to escape."  I found this statement to be very powerful.  It makes so much sense when you stop to think about it.
  It never occurred to me that we may be in close quarters with the inmates.  Right after the tour began, we saw a line of orange jumpsuits walking down the hallway in front of us.  They kept to themselves, but they stared at us like a pack of wolves stares down their prey.  I felt a little apprehensive from that point on.
  We went into the jail's control room where all the cameras were.  All the video is public record.  The officer said the booking area is the monitor to watch the closest because that is where most fights break out.
  We then visited a pod where an officer had the inmates on lockdown so we could enter.  I could see the inmates staring out of the small windows on their cell doors, watching our every move.  The officer was in a hurry to get us in and out of the pod because he said the inmates don't like to be on lockdown any longer than they need to be. 
  The reason the jail is perceived as "clean" and humane in comparison to what we see on TV is because in jail, most inmates are innocent, whereas in prison, the inmates have been found guilty.  Prison is for inmates serving sentences over a year.  I am happy we did not visit a prison.
  Because I am minoring in behavioral health, I was intrigued to learn how many inmates have mental disorders.  It was disturbing to learn than inmates have poked out their eyes, cut off their testicles, and committed suicide while awaiting trial.
   When we entered the booking area, two inmates had to be put in holding cells because they spoke words to us.  One officer said, "This isn't a playground."  I knew she meant business and I knew this was a place I never wanted to end up.
  We learned that information is not public record while under investigation because it is evidence until the case is closed. 
  It was a powerful trip.  I felt apprehensiveness among all my classmates.  We took away more than just information about public records.  I believe everyone took away a new appreciation for the system.



  

Visit to Sheriff's Office

  The  visit to the Sheriff's Office in Ybor was insightful.  I had trouble finding the building initially until I saw the other students from class standing outside.  The main building was bigger than I imagined it would be.  We gathered in a board room in the annex to the main building where J.D. Callaway and Cristal Bermudez met us.  They had information such as Standard Operating Procedures, criminal report affidavits, online inquiries, arrest warrants and other records to review with us. 
   The standard operating procedure for news releases and media cooperation is to assist Sheriff's personnel with such documentation.  It explains when information may be released and when there are special considerations that exempt release of information.  Exemptions include interviewing people in custody and suicide notes. 
  It was interesting to see the online arrest inquiries.  The 17-year-old was charged as an adult because he was charged with solicitation to commit murder, which is a felony.  If a juvenile is charged with one felony or three or more  misdemeanors, he or she is charged as an adult.  Once charged as an adult, the juvenile's information will be public record.  Callaway said that public records are available fairly quickly online.  They are available within an hour after the booking process.
  People can request dash cam videos as public records for DUI cases, as DUI units are the only ones with dash cams. 
  I found it interesting that public records relating to criminal behavior are only located at the sheriff's office, jails, and court houses.  The public records we went over were very detailed.  It was insightful to see how an officer fills out reports. 
  Bermudez said that particular sheriff's office in Ybor is the first in the area to be more cutting-edge by using social networking such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  It's a fast way for reporters to be informed about arrests, etc. so they may obtain the public records quickly.  On YouTube, they post entire videos of news conferences, unlike broadcast news, where only bits and pieces of the news conferences are broadcast.
  We then toured the main building and saw where public records can be obtained.  Also, we toured the room where 911 calls are received.  The 911 operators seemed to know how to keep calm when calls came in.     

Matt Doig visit

  Database specialist, Matt Doig, explained that databases give answers to issues.  Databases expose public records such as teacher salaries and results of their test scores for the Basic Skills Test that teachers must take in order to prove they are intelligent enough to teach.  Social security numbers must are needed to match teachers with their information.  Some teachers disagree with their personal information being exposed through databases, but it is important, especially for parents, to be able to access such information to see who is teaching their children.
   The Sarasota Herald Tribune that Doig works for gathers database information from all 67 counties in Florida. I found it interesting to learn that Florida is the number one state for housing fraud in the US.  This was found in connection to flipping houses in the state.  Doig says, "Learning how to use databases gets you more money, more power, and more information."  Databases are important sources for public records.  They are also relatively easy to obtain.   
  I found it useful when Doig said he finds a common ground with someone to keep them on the phone and get the information he needs from them.
  Also, by starting an interview with "Help me understand.." and ending with "What haven't I asked that I should've asked?", you will get more out of the interview. 

Tim Nickens visit

  Almost anything you say over the phone or on the internet is public record.  I never knew how easy it was to actually obtain those records until Tim Nickens explained it in his visit.  He discussed the Sunshine Laws and how they make it easy for reporters and other officials to obtain public records.  Nickens explained that it is easier to request public records in Florida than in most other states.  Public records are extremely valuable sources of information, so it must be difficult reporting in other states where it is not so easy to obtain public records.
  I found it fascinating that anyone can find out if another person has voted or not through public records.  Although they cannot see who the person voted for, it can be beneficial to see that they actually voted. 
  Nickens discussed how the public can see the cost, square footage, etc. of a person's home through public records.  I feel this is too invasive, but these are areas that are not exempt from public record.
  When I took Advanced Reporting last year, we looked up public records such as these.  It is amazing how much you can learn through public records.  I have been writing for years now and never realized the pure value of public records.  It gets to the facts and the raw evidence.
  Online sex predators are caught in internet stings with the help of public records.  The accused person's computer is searched and the evidence is clear through public records.
  Nickens brought the importance of public records to light.