To Ebola, or not to Ebola...

I've been avoiding this post for a while because I don't want to make this a bigger deal than it already is! What I do want to focus on is the quarantine that is the hot topic.

Many are saying that it's unnecessary, that it's making doctors not want to leave and help in Africa because they will be subjected to that quarantine. That it's taking away certain freedoms.

This article, Nurse Defies Quarantine, explains her reasons why she won't do the quarantine. Yes, it is unnecessary to be quarantine if you have tested negative after you come back from Liberia, Sierra Leone and/or Guinea.

While I agree with this, I still think it's a good idea to follow the quarantine measures to make sure that the doctors who tested you didn't miss anything. It's only 20 something days and then you can be on your merry way.


NJ Governor Christie has a Controversial Ebola Quarantine.  All healthcare workers exposed to Ebola have a 21-day mandatory quarantine period. While he was criticize for it, more are joining in, especially Nobel Prize-winning doctor and medical researcher, Dr. Bruce Beutler.

Again, the risk of you getting Ebola in the United State is very low, but it's still a good idea to be safe about what you do and as a healthcare professional it is your job to avoid a wide spread fear by leading by example.  Diseases mutate and before we know it, it could become an airborne virus. Healthcare professionals have responsibilities to their patients and sometimes you have to give up a little freedom to make sure others will be safe.

Now, so far if the president can hug it out, then you can go on about your day and not worry about it until doctors release new findings that it can spread through the air. Obama eases Ebola fears by hugging ebola survivor Nina Pham.

For now, here's a few infographics from the CDC and WHO that will help you understand how low risk this really is and maybe help you understand how to avoid it, where it's currently at and what the U.S. is doing about it.

Listen to the podcast of this blog.

Stealing The Show

So Halloween is coming up and I wanted to write about something fun.  

WE broadcasters usually don't get to dress up for Halloween. So we try to spice things up a little bit.  Sometimes it doesn't go as planned like the video above. There's a saying in Hollywood: "Don't bring animals or children into the mix."

The same goes to broadcast but sometimes these curious dogs and kids end up making you a viral sensation like Ripple the dog.  He doesn't care that there is broadcast going, he just wants to play.

Then you have the ones that take the opportunity to just dance in front of the camera.

While these can be super distracting, it happens more than you think.  You have moments you will be live and someone comes behind you and yells or even asks you out. Like below:

But no matter how many times this happens, we still have to continue with our jobs and report. So yes, we can hear you and yes we have to address what you are doing behind us and then continue on with our story.

So opportunist! Keep working hard to ruin the live-shots we worked hard on. We wont crack...well it's kinda tough not to crack up when a rhino farts.

Elections? Already here? Who's running?

Really who is running? Or what are these people saying about themselves to get elected.

Elections have changed a ton with social media.  You can reach so many in just a simple click and post. But there are still television ads that the campaign puts money into to, to either sell you their candidate or bash the other candidate, or both.

I think they show insight on a persons character. If a candidate bashes the other then I know that candidate is trying to fight dirty. I don't like the bashing ads because it always reminds me of two high school kids fighting.

If they post an ad about themselves and what they do, then I always think that they are a little narcissist but of course a campaign ad is supposed to sell why you are the best candidate so I let it slide. I just look for honesty.

I asked a few people on social media what their thoughts where about television ad campaigns. This is what a couple said on our facebook page MediaMosis:

Check out this article from the Boston Globe, I thought it was pretty interesting and gives insights on how these ads can backfire quickly.

The Good, Bad, Ugly Political ads - Boston Globe

Why did I take this job?

Being a Journalist is tough. It's a 24/7 job. Meaning you don't get the normal holidays you would get, you work weird hours, if you are lucky you get a NEAR TO "9-5" job but breaking news CAN CHANGE THAT!

So why am I talking about my job? Well an article in Newscastic I read a few days ago inspired this blog. It's called: How being a journalist takes over our normal life.  I agree and disagree with a few but here's the over all list and my comments

1. We follow police cars, ambulances and any emergency vehicle.
Well not completely true.  We do get excited when we see a cops light flash or see a fire truck headed somewhere and we always ask ourselves (like most people) I wonder what is happening. I don't go chasing stories on my time off. Now when I'm working we do have a scanner usually in the car or someone in the newsroom checking and listening for anything in case we aren't available to listen but we listen while we write, we listen while we eat and we listen while we edit. Everyone is listening.

2. We ask way too many questions when meeting someone new.
This one is true....but it helps to get to know people really quickly.  I'm known to ask and nod my head and listen to you forever.

3. We correct your grammar when you speak, write and use social media.
Yes, but some days we all have the same faux paus, now even more with autocorrect...Damn you!

4. We are nosey
Nosy? Who me? I wouldn't use that word..more like naturally inquisitive.

5. We survive on coffee at work and outside of work.
I personally don't like drinking too much coffee because it's bad for you vocal chords and voicing is tough already enough when you speak two languages and you get tongue-tied.  Yes, coffee get many of us through to the day but I don't personally think it's a Journalist thing, it's mainly a people thing.

6. We will Google you
I hate to say it but yes. We will and hate to say that sometimes we rely on it too much when we should be doing other research from other sources than the internet and google. It's a good source to find leads, phone numbers, people and sometimes tips.

7. We checkout of conversations.
.....Checked out....already......We space out and we can also block you out.  In a newsroom there are so many noises going off and people talking and shows going on, you get used to the hustle and bustle and you kind of learn to just block people and concentrate. Some days it's easier to do than other days.

8. We will randomly write stuff down.
I carry a notepad everywhere. You never know when something genius will come up. ALWAYS WRITE THINGS DOWN!!

9. We watch the news.
Because it's kind of part of our jobs. It's not like we have a real choice. You have to stay on top of what is happening in your city.  The next day you need to have to pitch story ideas to your producers and news director. So yes we watch the news. Do we want to? Not really...but we do.

10. We are constantly surfing the web and checking our phones.
...this one..frustrates me...WHO DOESN'T?

11. We suffer from insomnia.
Not sure about everyone but I do. I just can't shut my mind and working news means breaking news will happen any time and you may get a phone call telling you to get into work. So we are sleep deprived.

I loved working for news when I was younger (being 19-23). I loved the adrenaline of cover a shooting or a fire. It was fun. I'm happy I no longer work for news. You can be more creative and happy. It's a tough job and only a few can tough it for a career. I can do it but I choose to have a life and a family.  Those things are important to me, news can wait.
 

Video Test

 

This video is uploaded straight into blogger without using youtube or any cloud service sites other than blogger.

From Drop Box

 

From Google Drive