Kimberly Daniels

Moore Says This Is The End

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:30:32 -0800

Supporters of Walter Moore and his slate candidates gathered on election night to await polling results and eat pie.

Moore set up the event at DuPar's at the L.A. Farmer's Market to thank his volunteers and supporters. He was hopeful for a victory in the mayoral race Tuesday.

Breakfast Of (Hopeful) Champions

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:21:03 -0800

How did the candidates spend election day?

City Attorney candidate Jack Weiss had his good-luck breakfast at Art's Delicatessan in Studio City. Weiss has had breakfast there the morning of every election day since he has been running for public office, and every time, he has won.

Cheering 'Crabby Alternatives' At Election-Eve Rally

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:52:38 -0800

A crowd of about 200 gathered to cheer on the "crabby alternatives" on today's ballot at an election-eve rally at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport last night. The rally-goers, who "booed" and jeered "mainstream candidates" such as incumbent Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Attorney hopeful Jack Weiss, gathered to listen to their candidates' final pitches for office.

Los Angeles City Council Rejects Philip Morris Donation

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:34:57 -0800

10.24.2008

After a lengthy discussion about taking money from a tobacco company, the Los Angeles City Council voted 6 to 4 Friday to reject a $10,000 donation from Philip Morris that was intended to fund enforcement against the illegal street sales of tobacco products.
An official from the Bureau of Street Services explained that the city has had problems with the illegal street vending of single cigarettes. The donated money would go to help fund the law enforcement required to stop such illegal sales.

A Few Days Before The Election

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:22:56 -0800

Proposition 8 was one of the most contentious voter issues on the California ballot. A 'Yes' on 8 vote supported a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, eliminating the rights of same-sex couples to marry.

Opponents argued this is a civil rights issue that should not be put to a vote.

At the time of the election, it was legal for same-sex couples to marry in California.

Music by Marvin Gaye - A protest song for a Pershing Square protest.

Obama v. McCain, the Second Round

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:16:33 -0800

   Though there are vast differences between Obama and McCain (differences which keep me inclined to support one over the other) I can't help but wonder - through all those populist meanderings - if there will ever be a political debate with a Democrat or a Republican that I want to hear.
     It has been how many months, so many websites, two debates, and I still don't fully understand what either candidate's health care plan entails. (McCain keeps throwing around this $5000 number - when I'm pretty sure his website says $2500 per person, while at the same time quoting the cost of $12 thousand a year per family. But, how will this money help me pay for health care if I'm one of the many Americans that only qualifies for $300 + /per month health insurance? Where is this money coming from? What about the issue of non-coverage for pre-conditions? Why is it so difficult to derive the plan from a website that purports to explain it? Did I just follow the wrong click? is it user error?) Why can't they just tell us the truth, plain and simple. Just tell the truth, as they see it individually; they are the only two options, so we'd have to vote for one of them...
     America is a large country with a diverse population and every element of life that is needed to create a well-rounded and prosperous existence. But, with only two viable political parties in this vast nation of ours, the diversity that our country breeds is dealt with through vague language and policies that can extend a wide canopy over the thoughts and beliefs of many.

Soundslide: Skid Row 3-on-3 Basketball League

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:35:31 -0800

Every Saturday morning, Skid Row community members get together for a game of bball. "Everybody has something, could be a mental illness, or a drug addiction, attitude problems, whatever... you got to leave that out and get right. That is what this league is about... learning how to get right." Ol' G - League organizer

McCain v. Obama, the first match : more of the same.

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:26:43 -0800

Perhaps it's unrealistic to expect a U.S. presidential debate to deal substantively - and honestly - with wrongful actions by the American government, even at the end of George W. Bush's eight-year reign as one of the planet's preeminent rogue operatives.

Considering the extreme state of the U.S. today - failing economy, credit crisis, housing bust, high unemployment rates, "the war on terror," and a very unpopular Iraq war - I, for one, expected fireworks from the first debate between McCain and Obama. Instead, we got some solid debating, some shaky debating, some good presidential-like moments, and some petty ones; all in all, there were no terribly memorable moments or much very straight forward explanation of how they would change current policy. The news media seemed to agree, publishing quite a few articles that echoed the following :
"At that debate, against the backdrop of the economic crisis, neither candidate scored significantly or caused much damage to the other. But the differences between the two were evident on issues ranging from federal spending to diplomacy with rogue nations."

Swimming in Info.

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:37:50 -0800

I have not been a big consumer of blogs. I generally stuck to "legacy media" because there is simply so much information on the web. I have never felt like I had the time to properly vet writers or bloggers that hadn't already been put forward as reputable through well-known news sources.
     Its not to say that citizen journalists/bloggers/etc. don't have anything good to say. On the contrary, I think that the dialogue that has been provided with the ease of publishing on the web is fantastic. People should be able to participate in news. I'm just not the one that will always follow the threads or care to see what specific bloggers think of this or that event. When I'm looking for news, I want news - not opinion.

     Of course, opinion is far from absent in legacy media news sources as well. Some writers are given permission to use loaded words or pick unfair images. One of my favorite instances of obvious bias was in the New York paper, I believe it was The Post, in 2000. The paper ran side by side articles that profiled Bush and Gore. The photographs of Gore were all very sophisticated, with dramatic and flattering light. The photographs of Bush, specifically one of him sat spread eagle on the grass next to his father who was sitting in a chair, made him look like a foolish man-child. It was not the most presidential-looking picture. And it was a not so subtle way to editorialize Bush's bio. It seemed quite obvious to me that the paper preferred Gore; however, maybe some considered it fair and equal. Maybe they should not have been allowed to print those pictures while claiming to be fair and balanced journalists. Maybe that bias should have been transparently identified.
     I've been taught to always question everything. Even those sources you like. An important part of consuming information is to be critical of it. So it comes as no surprise that sites would be created to aide one's critical eye. Spinspotter.com and Newstrust.net set out to do exactly that: help the reader cut through the ... bad stuff.

Spinning.

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:27:05 -0800

It's as if criticism of the media is a rule in the campaign play book. It is a very clever maneuver from those who stand to gain from discrediting the media (and what does that say about a campaign). If ALL news outlets are inherently wrong, then a critical voice or a question as to truth is just a part of a smear campaign. This is how it seems the Republicans would like their supporters to feel. In the eyes of McCain/Palin supporters, the media can do no right.

Neutrality and Transparency, are they mutually exclusive?

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:49:51 -0800

Can a reporter (or citizen journalist) use transparency to forgo neutrality? Does the appearance of neutrality negate the need for transparency? In the example of Mayhill Fowler, the questions her story provokes are not only of neutrality and transparency in reporting, but the implications of those in access to stories and the rules by which citizen journalists may or may not abide. Even more confusing in this specific story, as Michael Tomasky noted, according to the rules of transparency and neutrality, a traditional reporter would never have had access to the private function such as the one Fowler wrote about. In this case, the lack of access would have had more to do with neutrality: reporters are not supposed to make donations to campaigns which, in turn, means that they are not invited to private donor dinners.

Who is Introducing Sarah Palin... and to Whom?

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:15:04 -0800

Directly following the conclusion of this week's Democratic National Convention, John McCain announced first term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. In what many have called a surprise choice, this selection has been an obvious cause for a new national discussion and debate. From headlines such as "McCain changes the equation," a Saturday morning Los Angeles Times news article reporting the choice, to "Sarah Palin -- Alaska Gov, McCain's VP Pick, Kind of a Babe," an article posted Friday on Asylum.com discussing the governor's "hotness" and declaring her a "MILF," today's news media - legacy and otherwise - has reported on this announcement from nearly every angle this story provokes.

The Wide World of Journalism... and what I intend to do in it

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:35:52 -0800

I have many ideas about what it is that I will do in the world of journalism - so I'll share the one that seems the most far-fetched and delusional. I would like to start a production company that uses the profits generated by commercial ventures to properly fund and provide resources for documentary projects that I find interesting. I know that this is not a new model, but I would like to improve it and dictate the content on which the company would focus. As far as commercial ventures are concerned, I envision television series that could be considered "info-tainment;" supplemental educational materials that help to illustrate generally elusive topics such as history and math to jr. high and high school students; creating series that promote awareness on life-skills topics such as financial literacy or career choices/development; human interest series that explore the reasoning behind all sides of ongoing social arguments like bilingual education, immigration, and reproductive rights; and lots of "talking heads" history documentaries. I guess, I could say, I want to create a life scenario in which I can explore whatever the hell I want to explore, and produce some kind of documentary/article/series about it. And get paid for it. Therefore, the production company pipe dream.

While I'm working towards that, however, in the world of journalism, I'd imagine I will try to work for a news magazine type program in which I continue to practice the skills of researching, compiling, assembling, and disseminating information.

I'm finally in grad school... diary to myself

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:08:21 -0800

The decision to come to graduate school was one I have been mulling over for the past couple years. I knew that this level of education was, simply, an experience I wanted out of life. However, when considering a career to which I would be willing to wholly dedicate my time, and one that graduate school would help to facilitate, there were so many factors to consider. I continue to have one unwavering goal: I want to be in the position to help people. Somehow. (I won't go in to the details of why that statement isn't as hokey or idealistic as it sounds. It is just a basic desire I must address.) But when I considered my other requirements: salary, job satisfaction, location, potential co-workers, opportunities to travel, appealing to my own passions, to name a few, I found it difficult to prioritize.

Managing Skid Row - the Problem of Homelessness in Los Angeles

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:39:36 -0800

When I was a kid, my father drove me through Skid Row a couple times. I have memories of dusty blocks of empty lots protected by barbed wire laden chain link fences. Butting up against those fences were tents erected by rows and rows of urban campers hanging out on sidewalks in the middle of the day. I don't remember trees, I don't remember toilets; I just remember thinking: how do so many people live here?