Reflections

I learned a lot about how writing circulates and develops over time.  Through this course, I've seen multiple examples of how writing can change over time and across multiple different mediums and sources.  I thought our work with Harris did a lot to help me conceptualize the different moves writers can make with respect to other people's work.  The first chapter, "Coming to Terms", really helped me to be a better critical reader, and the chapter's about forwarding and countering helped me to see what other writers were doing, as well as to incorporate these moves into my own writing arsenal.

I really enjoyed the news focus of this class.  I had fallen out of paying attention to the news last quarter, but I've become an avid follower recently, do mainly to this class.  Reading the New York Times started as just an "assignment", but now it's gone on to me just caring more about the world around me.  I also really like how we discussed the news in class.  It was always interesting to hear what other people were following, and I liked talking about the news stories I had seen.  I also found myself looking into stories a lot more.  I never used to look at different sources for stories, but now I've become more skeptical about different points of view.  Overall I really enjoyed this course.

The Death of Chris Grundy

            On the morning of Saturday, May 10^th, 2010, Saranac boy Christopher James Grundy lay dead with a single bullet wound in his left shoulder.  Around 1:30 AM, Deputy Dan Bishop gave chase to Chris, 20, after he blew past a stop sign going nearly 100 MPH.  Deputy Bishop was soon joined by another officer, when they cornered Chris.  Chris rammed the other officer’s vehicle, and that’s when Deputy Bishop fired four bullets at the car.  Chris drove another tenth of a mile, exited his vehicle, and collapsed in a ditch.  By the time the ambulance arrived, he was already dead.  This was a local story, and it had a powerful impact in the small community of Saranac, MI; the town I grew up in.  I had known Chris since 2005.  He had been great friends with my older step brothers, and even lived with us for almost four months.  The story itself is pretty straight forward, and the facts of the incident remain the same from site to site.  However, what does change is how the story is presented and what purposes the story is used to serve.

            On May 15^th, at 10:26AM, Wood TV published a story titled “Family Questions Cop-Involved Shootings”.  This was one of the first news outlets to address that morning’s story.  The writer, Dani Carlson, focuses primarily on presenting the currently known facts, and the story also features quotes for Chris’ brother, Ben Rawlings, and Lt. Kelly of the Kent County Sheriff’s Department.  She begins by explaining what they know about what happened that morning, talking about the chase, the confrontation, and the eventual death.  She then presents the opinion of Chris’ brother Ben.  Ben was astounded by the situation saying “It’s just hard to understand.  Was there a way around it?”  He wonders about anything he could have done to save his brother, and who can blame him?  Lt. Kelly was quoted saying “It’s very traumatic” speaking for everybody involved.  Dina takes a simple news approach to this story, and this story represents a local news sphere as it has just begun.  She presents what facts she has at the moment, and she effectively uses quotes from Ben and Lt. Kelly to present opinions from both the family and the police.  She ends by mentioning the funeral to be held for Chris; an event which was attended by over 100 people including myself.  Wood TV 8 is a local news station in western Michigan.  It’s primarily a television news station for the Grand Rapids area, and like most news sources, it also has a presence on the web.  This was the first story I could find detailing the events of the shooting.

            Another similar story was featured on the Michigan news site mlive.com (a site that brings together local news from across Michigan), written by Shandra Martinez for the Grand Rapids Press.  Published on May 15^th at 7:42PM and titled “Christopher Grundy's shooting death by Kent County Sheriff's deputy mystifies family”, takes a more personal approach to the story.  It begins with a photo of Chris holding his baby niece, and talks about Chris at his 8-year old nephew’s birthday party, where he “was acting like a kid himself.”  She then goes on to talk about the story in a similar manner to Dina.  She presents the same facts of the incident, but then adds a more in depth look at Chris as a person.  She talks about him graduating from Saranac High School, some of the jobs he held, and also about some of her own reflections on him from looking at his MySpace page, saying how it “shows deep affection for the family”.  Being the first day of the story, Dina and Shandra were limited in what they could report.  They both drew from the facts given by the police, and also the words of Chris’ brother Ben.  Shandra added background information about Chris to bring more a clearer context to the story, and to help illustrate the family’s reservations about Chris’ intentions that night.
            John Tunison also wrote an article for mlive.com titled “Christopher Grundy's death is latest in uptick of officer-involved shootings in West Michigan” May 17^th, 2010.  This story forwards the story by Sandra Martinez.  John noted that Deputy Daniel Bishop had been identified as the officer that had shot Chris.  He also adds some more background context to Chris, saying that Chris “was marked by trouble with the law” and that he’d spent 93 days in jail in 2007 for reckless driving and destruction of property.  He forwards Sandra’s story by adding details, and also by using it for a new purpose.  Whereas Sandra was trying to present the story and the details she had available, John is trying to use this story to help illustrate a rise in officer-involved shootings.  He also provides a list of other shootings that happened in west Michigan over the past year.  This article is still early in the life of this story, and it would continue to develop as more details were presented.            On June 16^th, 2010, a story from WZZM 13 News (another local news TV station in west Michigan) titled “Prosecutor rules deputy-involved shooting of Chris Grundy is self defense” seems to be the end of this story in the news sphere.  It forwards the original story of the shooting, by presenting it again, and adding the information about the Deputy.  It covers the same facts as the other stories.  He blew a stop sign, ran from police, and the Deputy had no choice, but to use lethal force.  This story also adds some new details about Chris’ state of mind during the incident.  He had been driving on a suspended license, and his blood alcohol content was .19.  Also that day mlive.com featured the police video of the incident.  These articles marked the end of this news stories life cycle in the news sphere.  It hasn’t been reported on since, but this story still lives on in the hearts of Chris’ friends and family.
            This story had a tremendous local impact in the town of Saranac, and the story was spread around the town in unconventional ways.  I didn’t hear about this story from the news.  I heard about through word of mouth, from my friends and my older brother.  The story was all over Facebook, and was widely discussed around Saranac High School.  To help pay for the funeral, the local gas station, Torco, sold Chris Grundy wristbands.  They said “Rest in Peace” on the outside, and “Christopher James Grundy” on the inside.  I saw numerous people in my school, and the town of Saranac wearing these wristbands.  Many of his closest friends took his mother’s quote, “He could make people laugh” (mlive.com), as a line to remember him by.  They printed shirts and bumper stickers saying “Christopher Grundy: He could make people laugh.”  Chris may have died, but his memory still lives on through his friends and family.            I think this story helps show the lifecycle of a local story.  This audience isn’t as large as a national story, and it didn’t receive noticeable recognition by the blogging community.  However, I think this particular story provides a good demonstration of how a news story develops as new details are added about it.  It started by being presented as a local news story with limited information.  They knew what happened, but many details had not yet been released, such as the name of the deputy, and Chris’ bodily state that night.  As the story developed it was used to help illustrate a growth in police-involved shootings.  Finally, the case of Deputy Bishop was decided as a justified act of self-defense.  Throughout the whole ordeal, this story was spreading around the community.    While the news sphere has forgotten about the shooting of Chris Grundy, the village of Saranac has not forgotten this tragic turn of events.Sources1.       “Family questions cop-involved shooting”, Dani Carlson, Wood TV 8, May 15^th, 2010
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/suspect-shot-by-sheriff-deputy-dies 2.       “Christopher Grundy's shooting death by Kent County Sheriff's deputy mystifies family”, Sandra Martinez, mlive.com, May 15^th, 2010http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/05/christopher_grundys_shooting_d.html3.       “Christopher Grundy's death is latest in uptick of officer-involved shootings in West Michigan”, John Tunison, mlive.com, May 17^th, 2010
4.       “Deputy cleared in shooting after case”, Wood TV 8, June 16^th, 2010
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/deputy-cleared-in-shooting-after-chase
5.       “Video of police shooting of Christopher Grundy shows lengthy car chase” John Tunison, mlive.com, June 16^th, 2010
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/video_of_police_shooting_of_ch.html
6.       “Prosecutor rules deputy-involved shooting of Chris Grundy is self defense” WZZM 13, June 16^th, 2010
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=122717

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/05/christopher_grundys_death_is_l.html

Visual Impact

On February 23^rd, the day before the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s Nationwide race ended with a multicar wreck.  I read about this in an article on the Huffington Post (link).  I was drawn to this article when I saw this picture of Kyle Larson’s number 32 car partially in the stands of the race.  This image is placed near the headline to attract readers to click the story, and at the very beginning of the article is a video of the crash.  These build up towards the story which is very sympathetic to the fans that were injured in the race.  This picture is placed to draw out an emotional response from readers and it really delivers.

"The 20-year-old Larson Stood in shock a few feet from his car"

My jaw dropped when I saw this photo.  The caption “Massive Wreck at Daytona” couldn’t be more fitting.  Seeing the car with the engine taken clean off is a terrifying sight.  An estimated 33 people were injured in the crash, and the slideshow on this post (Huffington) really demonstrates that.  Larson’s car went through the guard, debris shot into the crowd, and a tire was launched into the stands.  Kyle Larson’s number 32 car was left a shell of its former self, but he’s just happy to be ok and “hopes everyone’s alright.”

Jenna Fryer took a news approach for this story.  This story was the day of the crash so this story was more focused on just presenting the facts to the readers.  She also used quotes from fans, officials, and racers to further present the story.  She highlights how Tony Stewart’s feelings after slipping past the wreck to win the race.  His statement “We assume the risk, but it’s hard when the fans get caught up in it,” helps draw the reader into the tragedy of the wreck.  These guys are professionals and the last thing they want is to see their fans hurt during a race.

                

Jenna uses the slideshow and her sources to make the reader feel emotionally attached to the victims.  She uses quotes for the viewers like “It was freaky” and “I immediately started to cry” to effectively make the reader feel similar to these fans, but the pictures of the flaming engine and the hole in the guard wall say more about the crash than the written word.  The slideshow and the video are the real eye openers of this article.   The video shows the entire crash unfolding and the slide show has crazy pictures of the whole thing.  Jenna let the visuals speak for the crash while she tried to speak for the people.

                

The pictures are the main appeal of this article.  I am in no way a NASCAR fan, but after seeing Larson smashed up against the catch fence I just couldn’t help but click on this article.  I found myself watching the video and looking through the photos before reading the article.  For me they were the important sources of information, and not necessarily the article itself.  Jenna presented the facts well, and she did a good job of adding some context to the pictures, but her words were overshadowed by the more visual aspects of this article.

Sources

·         Jenna Fryer, “Fans Injured In Daytona Crash On Final Lap”, Huffington Post, February 23^rd, 2013

Importance of Context

A picture is worth a thousand words, but are these words true or false?  Errol Morris, brings up a very interesting point about this by asking can a picture be true or false?  Ultimately the answer is no.  A picture without word can be neither, but the words and thoughts we use to describe a picture can be.  We may see a picture of boat, a mountain, or a person, but without any other knowledge, how is one to know what mountain they're looking at, or where is this boat sailing.  The point is without context we can only formulate our own ideas about a picture.  A picture doesn't say a thousand words.  We do.  Once we are given the context of a picture it suddenly changes how we think of it.  I'll give an example.

What could I be?

I just show this picture and one is free to judge what it may be for oneself.  One may see the round shape and think maybe this is some type of fancy new throwing disc.  Others will notice the word "nexus" and relate that to the Google Nexus line of phones and tablets.  Is it used with these devices?  Could it be a new portable speaker?  No, in fact it is a LG's wireless charger for the Nexus 4 phone.(link)  Simply set your phone on the slanted surface and it will charge.  It's difficult to guess such a thing from simply staring at a picture.

Before context is added one is left to simply wonder what they are looking at.  They use their past experiences to help them along the way, but their interpretation of the image may be true or false.  Without words to describe a picture it is difficult to guess what something may or may not be.  That is the importance of context in pictures.

Taking an Approach

"In taking an approach, you rewrite not passages or ideas from a text but another writer's mode or style of working."(pg.95)  As stated by Harris, this is the main difference between taking an approach, and forwarding and countering.  In taking an approach one must ask questions that pose problems for the author's theory.  Harris uses three terms to describe taking an approach.  They are acknowledging influences (Noting writers who have impacted your writing), turning an approach on itself ("Asking the same questions of a writer that he or she asks of others"), and reflexivity (analyzing the key choices you've made in writing your text).  In acknowledging influences you talk about what aspects of a writer's style and way of thinking have influenced your own work.  In turning an approach on itself you take questions that the author posed for the readers, and turn them back on the original work.  Lastly, in reflexivity the writer reflects on the choices he or she made in his or her writing, whether it be approach, goal, or even a certain term that has  been highlighted.  These three terms come together to explain Harris's idea of taking an approach.

I have found it difficult to find an example of this in the New York Times, or the blog I've been reading (engadget.com).  So I will instead try to take an approach with Rewriting.  I would say Harris has had a profound impact on my writing since I began reading this book.  In his book he has been combating difficulties with using other writings in your own work.  He has done this by coming up with terms that he relates to writing (countering, forwarding... etc), and using other writing as examples to help explain his terms.  I've found myself trying to incorporate the works of others more often since starting Rewriting, and the methods he gives for forwarding and countering have been very helpful.  I now ask myself and Harris's Rewriting "What is the project?" and "What are its uses and limits?"  The project is obviously to instruct people on ways of including the writings of others effectively into one's own work.  The uses range from how to build upon the ideas of others, how to effectively counter another person's idea, how to using non text sources (like a Dodge commercial), and how to effectively analyze the writing style of another.  He draws strength from the writings of others, and those are the spots where his book truly shines.  I've found the biggest limit is the one Harris acknowledges himself.  He finds some of his own definitions lacking, like in forwarding he even asks the reader to come up with other methods of forwarding.  I find that he is trying to use his own limit as a tool to help illustrate his point to his readers, in the hopes that they will build upon his ideas, like he has done with so many others in Rewriting.

Short Essay 1 Rewriting a News Story

**I will be rewriting the story “Decision on Afghan Troop Levels Calculates Political and Military Interests”.  I will be doing so with the goal of writing this story for a blog for families of military personal like The Heroes at Home, with goal of seeing the troops come home from Afghanistan.  To do this I will highlight Mr. Obama’s current plan as a good step forward, but will suggest that it isn’t a fast enough transition.  I will also make the story more focused on the people and less on politics, by talking about families, and the emotional toll of losing a loved one in war.**  

President Obama’s administration officials released his decision to remove half of the 66,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan by 2014.  This marks a crucial step towards withdrawing from Afghanistan, but to many families of soldiers in the Middle East it isn’t fast enough.  Many believe we are in a war being fought over oil and other natural resources (article comments).  Mr. Obama is expected to highlight this withdrawal in his State of the Union Address, and hopes to receive bipartisan support.

Vice President Biden has voiced a desire to pull out troops more quickly, but Mr. Obama has been known to favor a slower and more careful approach.  Mr. Obama once called this war a “war of necessity”.  Our goal was to stop Al Qaeda, and we succeeded.  Now it’s time to bring the troops home.

This war has dealt a tremendous toll to the families of the soldiers.  These men and women are out there fighting and dying, when they should be here; protecting our country, providing relief during natural disasters, and working to benefit themselves and their nation.  Instead they volunteer to go overseas to protect a country that doesn’t even want them there.  Too many wives have been left without husbands, kids without a father, and Mothers who have lost their children.  More will follow if the proper actions are not taken.

Mr. Obama’s plan calls for gradual withdrawal over the next year.  According to the White House’s withdrawal schedule, 5,500 troops will have left by May, by the end of November that number will be up to 14,000, and by the end of February 2014 the number of troops in Afghanistan should be around 32,000.

The decision for a slower withdrawal in the warmer months is appreciated by military officials.  ”The intensity of combat in the warmer months is twice what it is in the colder months”, said military expert Michael E. O’Hanlon.  Frederick Kagan, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, says that reducing the number of troops by half could reduce chances of the campaign’s success, but he says the flexibility of the schedule will lessen that risk.

Mr. Obama has also acknowledged some post 2014 concerns.  He has stated that there are two main goals for the future in Afghanistan.  “Training and equipping Afghan forces, so that the country does not again slip into chaos, and counterterrorism efforts that allow us to pursue the remnants of Al Qaeda and their affiliates”

Mr. Obama has been reluctant to discuss withdrawal after 2014, but he probably hasn’t thought a lot about it.  The plan for the next year is a sufficient one and the president has more pressing matters to deal with.  He is still working to try to find a solution to the looming debt crisis and the lockdown in Congress.  There is still much that needs to be done if we are to pull out, but this plan is a necessary step along that pathway.  One can only hope that a full withdrawal is in the future.

Sources-

-Michael R Gordon and Mark Lander, “Decision on Afghan Troop Levels Calculates Political and Military 

Interests”  New 

York City, New York Times, 12 February 2013.

- Military Family Blogs, The Heroes at Home

Piercing the Press-Sphere

Jeff Jarvis’ explanation of the “press-sphere” leads me to believe that we are all part of it.  Through the internet everyone from business marketers to bloggers can post what they see as news.  He uses four diagrams (I say four, because I can’t see the first one) to illustrate the press-sphere, how we perceive, and how a news story develops. 

The new press-sphere was born out of the internet.  He stresses how the press itself isn’t as involved in the press-sphere as one might think.  The press mya post the story, but they link to companies and to the government for information.  Often times these news stories are circulated by regular people to their peers.  He then goes on to draw a press-sphere from the "me" perspective.  The diagram shows individuals getting most of their news from peers, companies, and personal searches.  The press itself plays a role distant to those around it.
I found his diagram of the news process to be rather confusing.  At first glance I was somewhat intimidated by all of the jagged lines pointing out everywhere, and the way the ideas were linked together was a little confusing.  After staring at it for a few minutes I managed to glean the general idea.  Many ideas and sources come together to make a story,  then it is commented on and forwarded to others.  I preferred the diagram for the life of a story after it is posted.  The bubbles made it easy see bow many different sources come together to further the life of a news story.

www.buzzmachine.com/2008/04/14/the-press-becomes-the-press-sphere)