Journal: The funniest thing that has happened to me

Note: This probably isn't the funniest thing that has happened to me. Actually, its not even that funny.

I stayed with my family and two of my friends in a condo in Galveston this summer. One night, when my parents were out at dinner, we got the genius idea to drop soda cans off of our seventh-story condo balcony and onto the empty streets below. It was later at night, so there were no cars. We had dropped two soda cans and were about to drop a third when a man walked out from the first floor. We thought he was a manager, so we all left the balcony and started to think about going to pick up the cans. We decided that would be the best action to take, but the one thing we didn't factor into that plan was that my parents would be getting home soon. As they ran onto the streets, I saw a familiar-looking SUV coming down the road. My friends saw the car too, and held the soda cans behind their backs as my parents stopped to question why they were down there. "Going on a walk" was the best excuse they could come up with.

Interview Journal

 What was interesting about your subject's story? What went well, and why? What could use improvement, and why? How did you feel about the interview overall?

There were a lot of interesting parts of the interview. One thing that stuck out was how she grew up in segregational Mississippi, and was there for the schools' racial integration and the different social issues that came along with this. Despite none of my group members being there, the interview went as planned and we got a lot of information. I did a good job of incorporating my questions into what she was saying and changing the wording of my questions so that they were relevant. I think I could've been better at creating questions from her answers though, and I hit a couple of dry spots that could've been avoided by some improvisation. Overall, I think the interview went pretty well.

Interview Questions

Where were you born?

When did you come to Houston?

What area were you raised in as a child?

What interested you in becoming a part of radio broadcasting?

What is your favorite part about being manager of KPFT?

Could you talk about how the 2007 shooting affected you personally?

What kinds of changes did the station experience afterwards?

What's your favorite thing about living in Houston?

What is it like having a highly liberal station in such a conservative part of the country?

How has Houston changed since your earliest memories of it?

Vocabulary for 'This American Life'- Surrogates

Partisan:

"At the time, I think it was seen more as, this is partisan politics, and that it was viewed as a faction war".

-A strong supporter of a party or cause.

Tariff:

"A hugely controversial tariff, for instance, in 1828".

-A tax imposed on imports or exports.

Vitriolic:

"Mine wasn't overly dramatic or vitriolic".

-Bitter criticism.

Journals for week of 10/7-10

Journals for week of 10/7-10
Debbie Harwell-
There are a couple of things I thought were interesting. One was Lonnie smith, who eliminated white primaries (ability to vote) when the majority of Texas' population was democratic. Also, racial integration was achieved in the mid- 20th century by the radio stations not covering the topic. Black and white businesses made an agreement that they would allow the opposite race into their areas. This, as well as various other agreements between businesses allowed for a really casual integration. Another thing that I thought was interesting was that NASA started their programs here based on our weather conditions and the military base.

What is your spine? What drives you? How does this affect the way you are in the world

I don't think I'm motivated by a certain thing or reason, and if I had to pick something it would be a wanting to do something influential in my life. I think making a difference or doing something that benefits society in some way would be pretty cool. This affects the way I am because one of the ways I can achieve many of those goals is by doing well in my studies.

Facts about Europe

100,000 BC: Christopher Columbus travels the globe in a speedboat with his hominid friends.