Items
Mediator is exactly
San Francisco Bay Area
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2020-10-27
The New Smell of Walmart
Walmart. Not known for being the cleanest and best smelling place on Earth. In the past, I’d walk in and there would be always be an odd stench. One that smelled of old moldy bread and burnt bacon. However, I was very used to the smell given that I’d usually stop by here once a month after lacrosse practice to pick up gatorade for the following practices. Once COVID-19 struck. Walmart’s smell has changed significantly. The employees are constantly cleaning, wiping down registers, mopping the tile, and spraying down the carts. Now a distinct smell of bleach fills the entire store. The mask that I wear in the store isn’t enough to block out the strong smell of bleach. It’s so strong that it stings my nose. I hope that the smell of bleach can die down and oddly enough return to the regular old smell. -
2020-10-27
The smells, sounds, and flavors of my house.
On march 19 california issued the stay at home order. That was 222 days ago exactly and over that time me and my family have spent the majority of it in our homes. We have spent this time doing many things, I have spent quite a good amount on my guitar, which I have just recently been able to pluck out the right notes that don't sound too bad, my brother and I have filled our house with the constant aroma of tea through making it so much, and my dad has made some of the best food I've ever tasted in those last 200+ days, just recently he made a cauliflower soup that took 6 hours of work, However everyone including him agreed it was well worth the effort! Both my mom and dad have been fortunate enough to spent the quarantine working and during the days you can be sure to hear either of them on an important call. -
2020-04-04
Homemade Potstickers
I woke up Saturday morning feeling drained after 12 hours of sleep. As a teenager in the middle of a pandemic, I had nothing to do except to fix a messed up sleep schedule. I got out of bed at 1 PM and decided I would not do anything that day. I was ready to be back in bed and binge Netflix. Suddenly my sister along with my mom and dad and cat burst in my room and told my tired self that we were going to make potstickers. UGH. I told them to go away and that I was busy. An hour later I could smell something coming from the kitchen, something delicious. I could hear my stomach rumbling and I was ready for some food in my belly. I went to the kitchen and saw that the first batch of potstickers were done cooking, they looked perfect! The dough after being pan-fried became crispy and golden brown, and the inside was warm and flavorful. I wanted to help make more (so I could eat more) and turns out, folding potstickers is not as easy as it looks. In comparison with the rest of my family’s, my folded potstickers looked like a total disaster. At least it still tasted good! I didn’t watch Netflix for the rest of the day and I’m glad I didn’t. The time I spent with my family that day will forever be part of me and I hope my family in the future will make even more memories together. -
2020-08
Record setting heat in California
This year during the covid-19 pandemic there was a record-breaking Heat Wave across California the hottest place getting to 130 degrees Fahrenheit disaffected Millions across California and even caused disasters like wildfires that burned houses and many acres of land. I lived relatively far away from the fires so there was a slight risk but a small risk that my how would be burned by the fires this was still a cause for concern or my family and many of my relatives families who lived near the wildfires. The heat wave burn down people I knows homes a Cause millions in property damage and lots of emotional damage As people's personal belongings were burned. for me the heat wave cause discomfort nothing compared to people across California but still enough to make me lose sleep to cause me stress that my house may be burned down The fires as well as the covid-19 pandemic were not A good combination of disasters for one year have caused strive to many as there already at home 24/7 and that whole may have their homes and livelihoods torn down and burnt by wildfire. -
2020-08-10
The Boys
Over the beginning of the pandemic, many people were feeling bored and hopeless and felt like there was not much meaning to anything anymore. Then when we realized the pandemic was not serious I was asked to hang out with a few of my closest friends and a few I didn't know as well. The feeling of having such a great time just being normal and hanging out with good people in the pandemic just made me happy and feel warm inside. The feeling of true laughter and joy, which I haven't felt for a while meant the world to me. We hung out all summer with Us 10 or 11 almost every day and I believe it helped all of us through the pandemic and made our lives better and hopefully created some lifetime bonds that we won't lose. Just the feeling of being a part of something and something that made you happy during the pandemic is the best feeling you can create. -
2020-10-26
2020, the year EVERYTHING changed
2020 has been the craziest yet most boring year i’ve experienced. I remember on New Year's Eve when the clock hit 12, me and all my friends screamed with enjoy for what was to come in the new year. Before covid, I lived in San Ramon, went to school at Cal High, and worked at Primos in Danville. Now I live in Alamo, do online school, and don't have a job. Before, my Dad would come home from work at about 6 and my mom would come home from work after 8. Now, I'm stuck home with my mom all day everyday. My experience during quarantine, I feel has been different then many others. I lived in the same house my whole life. My parents got divorced, leading us to sell the house. My 1,400 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, house sold for almost 1 million dollars. My entire life has changed during the covid pandemic. I barely see my friends anymore, and see my family all day everyday. My brother chase was graduating from cal when the pandemic hit. A couple weeks into summer he started saying he was tired. We got an email from one of his friends parents saying that chases friend tested positive for covid-19. I knew right them that chase had gotten it. We all went and got tested and just as i suspected, he also tested positive. Thankfully chase was the only person in my family who got it. The only symptoms chase had was fatigue. That was the only direct contact I came into with covid-19, that I know of. At first I didn’t think quarantine would last long. Here it is 227 days later and the numbers are still rising. Nothing will be the same as it was before covid. -
2020-10-27
A long hike
Through the beginning of the pandemic, the smell of baked goods was wafting through the house whether it be cookies cakes pies, or something else entirely. This mixed with being inside for a long time and no longer having the physical activity and weight on my back school provide my weight was steadily rising. for much time I had ignored this minor inconvenience until I finally stepped on the scale and found that if compared to my previous weight I could now multiply it by 1.5 G’s. at this point, I decided to get back to something I hadn't done for several years to find a trail and hike it to the end. The next day I woke up earlier(and I am already a morning person) and walked by the hills until I found a trail that looked like it would have a decent length. I don't remember the exact location or name of this trail but it took me through the hills at the high points and a forest-like area on the low end. The path continued for miles and whether on an incline or decline was almost always very steep with a few more level areas to the top. After walking for hours I checked google maps to get a vague idea of how far I went and I learned I was 12 miles into the trail with no end in sight. I was also more than halfway through all the water I bought and didn't think to bring anything to snack on so at this point I decided to head back home but rested more frequently in the shade of trees I found on the path and enjoyed the breeze and view as I walked I heard birds chirping and while the heat made masks annoying it seemed to fade away. While I had not realized my goal of finishing a trail I still had done much that one day I walked more than in the past few months and it gave me the jump start to keep walking and even started running through the start of school witch I hate to say has hindered my efforts. Some teachers are blameless while others have made it so I don't have time in the day to relax even with my schedule that contains next to no sleep -
2020-10-26
A change of lifestyle due to COVID-19
Back in March, when schools were initially shut down due to the virus, my friends and I thought it would be a short break and we would be back by the time spring break ended. Little did we know that the pandemic would last for many more months than that and we wouldn’t return to school that year. Normally, I would go visit my dad once a month but the pandemic made it impossible. He lives out of the state, in Utah, so for the first few months of quarantine I couldn’t get on a plane to see him. I ended up not going to see him for 5 months. Even now, In October, my mom isn’t very fond of the idea of me going to see him because of the way the virus has been handled in Utah. The infection rates are increasing rapidly in Utah at the moment so we ended up having to cancel my trip there in the beginning of November to be safe. Life has definitely shifted since the pandemic began and things have become different in some aspect for almost every single person. On the other hand, because of having so much time to myself this year, I’m more proud of the person I have become than I have ever been. -
2020-10-26
Store Shutdowns
March 13, 2020 started off a normal day. I went to school and listened to all the conversations about COVID and possible school shutdowns. After school my friends and I went to Target but little did I know that the next time I would visit a store would be completely different. A few days later I went to the grocery store with my family. It was a shocking sight when I walked in and seen everyone with a mask on and shelves completely empty. It was like an apocalypse was among us. Everyone was running rampid, pushing their carts as fast as possible and had a mask on all in the process. I had to feel everything through my rubber gloves and had a hard time smelling anything through my mask. Our new normal is wearing mask, social distancing and putting on hand sanitizer every second possible. This is important to share because it shows how COVID has shaped the way we live today. -
2020-10-26
A Short Review of My COVID-19 Experience
Everything started at my job at my school’s pool, when one of my bosses told me that the district shut down my school. I was a little surprised, but I got back to work, it was off season and the pool wasn’t going to watch itself. The smell of Chlorine and chemicals was slightly comforting, since at least I still had work, which was something to do during these strange times. But over time there was more talk from my job’s higher ups about shutting down the pool, and two weeks after school closed, my job did as well. Now the only thing I could do was lay around my house, listen to the news and my family stuck in our home. Online school starting up was the worst though, having to sit there and listen to teachers yell at us over due dates even though I wasn’t paying attention to what day it was, everything was just a blur. Finally, it was summer, instead of sitting outside and listening to the birds chirping or smelling a nice barbecue, I was stuck inside, with nothing to do. In June, after almost three months, my work returned! Back to Chlorine and Hand Sanitizer, it was the first time I’d seen any of my friends in person, we stayed safe and far away, but it was good to be in the same room as them. And as quickly as Summer came it left, and we were back to school, well digitally back to school. it's much better than earlier this year. But it didn’t help that during the first week of school we got huge fires, it didn’t affect my schoolwork but it did affect my work, I spent two weeks on and off at work, only smelling smoke and seeing the orange sky and red sun. Now things have gotten better, I still work, I still go to school, and I’m a year older than I was before. Hopefully, things will keep getting better. -
2020-10-26
Leaving the House After 4 Months of Quarantine
Leaving the house in this climate has been an event and a half each and every time it happens. You really begin to take it for granted- all those months in quarantine and not seeing the outside world really does do numbers on your perception of what is real and fake, as odd as it sounds. Everything changes when you’re deprived of something for so long. I remember the first time I left the house. It was my family and me- we were leaving to go to my Grandma’s house, I think, and this was four to five months into quarantine. Prior to this, I haven’t been past my backyard for the past half a year. I’ve never been a big outdoorsy person, so there was no reason to really leave my house the entire time. So my family drags us all out to go and see my Grandma, who has been doing somewhat meh recently. We get ready, take showers, the whole shebang. I remember seeing trees again. You’d think that oh, seeing trees is completely normal, it’s something we see on a daily basis. But the difference between seeing them through my bedroom window and in real life was honestly kind of shell shocking. I spent the entire car ride just watching outside the window and absorbing the world back in. It seemed so much greener than before’ I’m not sure if that’s because no one has been outside and that helps the environment, or if it’s just been so long since I saw plants that it almost seemed unreal. The smell, too, oh my god. I forgot how the outdoors kind of vaguely smells like plants all the time depending on where you are, but the area near my grandma's house smelled exactly like flowering trees. My family were all laughing seeing my reactions because it seemed so odd, but honestly, it genuinely shocked me. You don’t realize how much you take for granted until it’s ripped away from you, after all. They’ve been able to leave the house, but I haven’t, so of course I’m going to be super confused and astounded. But yes. Was a weird experience. Trees really did look greener back then and the world seemed so new- it’s weird to think about since it’s not something people think about often or re-evaluate. After all, it’s something that’s meant to melt into the background, since people have more to focus on than trees passing by on the highway or the smell they make. -
2020-10-26
High Schooler Sensory Memory
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you were only limited to two of the five senses. Those two senses were the sense of sound and the sense of sight. There wasn’t much to smell, other than all the hand sanitizer bottles. Of course there was nothing to touch or feel, due to the basic rules of social distancing. Although, you could see and hear society slowing dying. Any place other than your own home was silent. There was less face to face interaction you could ever imagine. On the other hand, I would say that people learned how to be nicer to everyone else. After COVID-19 hit, there were more good samaritans. -
2020-03
How I Found out my School Was Closing due to COVID-19
It was March 2020, I was working off season at the school’s pool. I had been chatting with my boss about the likelihood that school would be closed due to COVID. He told me about the district livestream going on that was discussing the same thing, so I quickly turned it on and watched it. The district stated that they would close the school for four weeks, and hopefully open up after Spring Break, I didn’t believe that we would open up again after Spring Break. -
2020-10-26
Sports? What's That?
March 13th was the day that everything changed. My social life, school, activities and especially sports, were gone. I remember the last day that we were in school before getting the email that schools were going to be shut down for what we thought was only going to be two weeks, I had open gym for volleyball. I remember me and my team being super excited because we haven't played in moths and we were all excited to get back on the court and to all be together. My team and I all meet after school to get ready for practice and as we were walking to the gym in all of geer that took 20 minutes to put on, out team captain told us that our open gym was canceled. Everyone was in shock and mad at the same time because we all wanted to get back on the court, plus we had already changed and that took a lot of work! After we all said our goodbyes not knowing how long it would be until we saw each other again and even how long until we were able to get back on the court. Finally after months of being away from volleyball and my team we started conditioning. It was so fun to each my team and to get to workout together. We are not sure when we will get back on the court but at least we have conditioning which is a huge step forward. -
2020-08-13
The Reality of Traveling During COVID-19
ere silent and it seemed as if I was living in a ghost town. I exited the car with family who all had their masks on. I could smell the cloth of my mask and see the open building that I always remembered being packed. I remembered the people scattering around trying to make it to their flight on time. But what I was experiencing wasn’t even close to that. The building seemed empty. When I did encounter someone they would look at me and make sure to maintain their distance. As I continued my journey to my boarding gate the restaurants didn’t seem as exciting as they normally did. My mask clogged my sense of smell, as I couldn’t smell the food like I normally could. Eventually I made it to my plane. The plane was filled will barely any people. My family occupied one row and the rest of the people were far from our seats. The entire 3 hour journey to Louisiana was filled with hard breathing with my mask, admiring the scenery and the empty plane. Smelling the humid air and my disappointment that I wasn’t getting my free drink. The entire experience was different and proved to me how Covid-19 is considered a sensory revolution. -
2020-10-26
Sensory Memory Changes During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected our sensory memory. All of the 5 senses have experienced a lot of change during this pandemic. Personally, I found the streets and stores to not be as packed as they used to be. When I go outside, I see most people are wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart from each other. During the pandemic, it has been a lot quieter as well. There is barely any traffic on the freeways or even the sound of cheering from football games and gatherings. The sense of taste also experienced a lot of change. Due to social distancing regulation, restaurants and cafes have been closed or only allowed takeout. Personally, it's been almost 8 months since the last time I went out to eat at a restaurant or get coffee pastries at a local cafe. For smell, California was struggling with fires so for a few weeks and all I was able to smell was smoke. Finally, the sense of touch has been experiencing change. I'm not able to see my relatives and friends. Since I can’t really go outside or visit people during these times, I haven't experienced a hug, high-five, or shaking someone’s hands in a while. -
2020-10-26
2020
August 17, 2020 the first day of school. Years in the past for school i have jumped up excited to meet my new teachers, see my classmates and start sports. This year i felt something different, I was excited I was scared to start this virtual learning journey where my home becomes my school, my bedroom becomes my classroom and my family becomes my classmates. This life we are living is one that will be told for decades to come, so let’s tell it the right way. The very first mandate was to wear a mask, this was to keep others safe of your germs. Wearing a mask limited interaction with people because it was hard to hear them or know how they are feeling because we can’t see facial expressions. The second mandate was a country wide quarantine, two weeks in your home to clean your body of the Coronavirus. Many people didn’t believe or did not want to follow this mandate so they didn’t, so two weeks turned into four months. Not being able to see your friends, family, co-workers, and just the general public was really strange and was hard to get used too, however now as things start to open it is strange and hard to get used to this as well. -
2020-10-24
Sensory History & COVID-19, Lesson Plan
This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. First, students learn about sensory history through the study of a historical event. Then, students are asked to submit a COVID-19 sensory memory to the JOTPY archive. The curriculum and student work are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide insight into the sensory history of COVID-19. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences. -
2020-10-18
Smoke During Covid-19
For me much of the pandemic has been an abstract concept. Our senses cannot really alert us to the presence of Covi-19. The exception I suppose would be the presence of masks but that is not a constant reminder. I have only worn masks when going in and out of stores. My sensory memory of the pandemic is four months of the smell of smoke. I noticed the smoke yesterday and again this morning. Since the California wildfires started in June there has been an almost constant smell of smoke in the air. We also get large grass fires in this area as well so there is usually some type of fire burning. I believe that the sense of smell can at times be a much more powerful sense than sight. I will remember the smoke long after Covid-19 is gone. -
2020-10-15
Surviving the Apocalypse
I live in nice town in the Eastbay about twenty miles from San Francisco. Its population is around 70,000 and its downtown is home to dozens of restaurants and high-end retail stores. On the afternoon of March 16th of this year Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all non-essential businesses shutdown and locked down. The next morning I took a walk downtown only to find that the normally busy streets were deserted. It felt like I was one of the last people on earth. The normal sounds were all but gone and it sort of felt like an episode from the Walking Dead. For the next couple weeks and eventually months I walked downtown every day and sat on a bench reading a book. The business that I used to work at was deemed non-essential, so I was initially furloughed. Over time people gradually began venturing out and some of the familiar sounds returned such as people talking and the noise of traffic. Two months into the pandemic almost all of the businesses in my town were still closed. On my daily walk one afternoon I noticed something odd. As I looked up from my book, I noticed a large convoy made up of dozens of vehicles racing into the retail shopping district. Once there the drivers parked their cars and people began pouring out. Within a few minutes there were a couple hundred people breaking into and looting the closed retail stores. The towns relatively small police force was caught by surprise and within a half an hour almost every high-end retail store in town was cleaned out. There was no protest involved it was simply a coordinated raid. The next day on my walk downtown I noticed that every business in town had been boarded up and all the people were gone again. A little later in the pandemic the California wildfires began. I continued my walks with the constant smell of smoke in the air. On many days the sun was completely blocked out by smoke. The massive fires created a weird atmospheric condition. The smoke hovered at about 5,000-10,000 feet and it was as dark as night on some days but there was relatively little smoke at ground level. Now about seven months after the lockdowns began things are returning to normal and I still walk downtown every day. -
2020-03-11
COVID Response Team Awaits the New Day
When the outbreak first began back in February and at the beginning of March, I was a waitress at the Walnut Creek Marriott experiencing cutbacks in my service to others as well as in the number of guests received at my hotel. However, the Federal Government sent a team of specialists from the CDC to Walnut Creek, CA in order to help treat patients stuck in quarantine on the Grand Princess Cruise Liner. At the time, people were not being allowed off the ship due to the viral concerns, and the team treated most if not all their patients at Travis Air Force Base. These doctors worked relentlessly long hours and would leave at the very start of the day and return so very wiped out. I continued to serve this group until I was laid off from the company in mid April -
2020-10-14
Competition and Efficency in America
Competition and Efficiency in America The American economy is built on competition. Everything from business to education has an aspect of competition embedded in it. This goes hand in hand with efficiency because competition is the reason that America is so efficient. Americans have a way of working towards their goals, and a mindset of making themselves better off for the future, instead of right now. For instance, historically the arts have been valued above other subjects such as law and medicine. However in aAmerica law and medicine is studied for more than the arts because that is where the money is. In an American's eyes, more money is a better future for your family yourself. America is currently and always has lived up to the core values of competition and efficiency because of the way that the American people work to achieve their goals to succeed in this country. There are many ways that competition and efficiency are built into the United States education system. It plays a role in the American classroom from grade school to college. One of the most significant changes that the American people have made to education is the way that they value the arts. As in they don’t. The arts used to be praised in Europe, and artists were looked at like royalty. They were paid large sums of money to paint everything from portraits to creating sculptures. However ever since colonizing the United States, art has been on a decline. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, in the last 15 years the amount of people who study art related topics in college has gone down from about 15% to about 5%. The primary focus of study is health professions. The amount of students who study health professions has gone up 175% in the last 15 years. That is because a career path as a doctor will pay a lot more, and will lead to a better future than a career as an artist. The competitive drive of Americans is what makes them want this better future. They want to outperform their peers and better themselves, and this makes America more efficient. Americans have found a way to work competition into every aspect of their lives. Everything from education to business has been improved by them in order to better themselves. That drive to be the best is what makes Americans so successful. That drive to be the best can be seen by looking at unemployment rates of the last 10 years. Unemployment rates range everywhere from about 28% to about 0.1%. In 2009 America had an unemployment rate of 9.1%. All it took was 10 years for Americans to turn 9.1% into 4.2% (Knoema Corporation). As of 2019 America had cut their unemployment rate in half. What this means is that in 10 years 4.9% of the population was no longer unemployed. This is 4.9% of Americans who are competitively driven to improve their future, improve their education, and make sure that their families and themselves are better off. The more that Americans improve themselves, the more efficient the country will be. The core American values of competition and efficiency can be seen in the way that Americans want to improve in order to be better off in the future. The more that Americans use this competitive drive to succeed, the more efficient the country will be. So far America has not shown any signs of letting go of this competitive mindset, therefore it has lived up to these values and will continue to do so. The mindset of Americans is like the mindset of no other country. It is a mindset that is not afraid to let go of the way things are usually done in order to create new and better ways to do them. This mindset results in competitiveness within ourselves and between our peers. This competition results in a more efficient way of life. -
2020-09-09
I Stood Beneath An Orange Sky
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2020 brought devastating wildfires to the state of California. Many of the Northern California fires were started as a result of the lightning produced during a massive - and rare - summer thunderstorm. The week leading up to the storm, I questioned the reliability of weather information as I had never experienced a severe summer storm in California. The night of the storm, I lay awake in my bed in awe of the sound of the storm. The combination of wind, rain, thunder and lighting produced incredibly loud sounds that lasted throughout the night. My family stayed snug in our beds. But when the storm continued into the morning hours, we decided to sit on our porch to take in the moment. The smell of rain in the summer was oddly refreshing. My kids were jumpy as none of them remember ever hearing thunder before. During a pause in the rain, we were walking between our home and my in-law’s home about 500 yards away from ours. The thunder hit at that very moment. I turned to look at my son and he was completely jumping out of his skin from fear of the thunder. Following each bout of thunder, silent lighting bolts shot across the sky. In the moment, we soaked in the beauty of nature. Little did we know that these beautiful bolts of lightning would cause some of the largest fires in California history. Immediately following the storm, fires spread across the state of California. While COVID-19 has completely changed life as we know it, we have found joy in being able to enjoy the outdoors. At the onset of the fires, even that reprieve was taken from us. I live directly between the SCU Lightning Complex and the LNU Lighting Complex fires, two of the first fires that erupted following the storm. The days immediately following the start of the fires brought record breaking days of heat well over 100 degrees. The hottest I have ever experienced in the San Francisco Bay Area. The region experienced rolling blackouts and even functioning air conditioners were so taxed that they struggled to keep the insides of homes cool. In addition to the heat, the skies were filled with ash. The air was so thick with ash it was difficult to even take a breath when outside. The outdoors, our place of solace, quiet and escape during this pandemic, was no longer an option for us. On September 9, 2020, I woke up and opened my curtains to face a brilliant orange sky. The color of the sky was unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. It truly felt apocalyptic. The air smelled of an extinguished campfire. And the overall feeling was eerie. The weight of the COVID-19 pandemic hit me the day that I stood beneath an orange sky, breathing in the smell of the fires ravaging my beloved state. How did we get here? Will life ever feel normal again? It just can’t get worse, can it? While I stood frozen in place, I heard the sound of birds chirping in the distance. This simple sound gave me the reassurance that I needed. We can do hard things. This too shall pass. I just hope it passes quickly. -
2020-04-16
COVID-19’s Historic Economic Impact, In the US and Abroad
The main point of this news article is to share how the pandemic has effected the US economy and other economies. I chose this news article because for each topic they compare the US to other countries to really help readers see the difference in the way the countries went about COVID-19 This article explains how the economy will be affected for many years after the pandemic is over because of this and how the daily lives of millions of people have been changed because of the current poor situation in the economy. The article is important because it informs people about the economic decline we’re facing currently. -
2020-10-06
Trump Postpones Stimulus Check until After Election
The main point of the news article is to inform those looking for a second stimulus check that it will be pushed back until after the election. I choose this article because it's important to a large number of people because the check is very important to many people’s businesses, families, and other things. It reveals how people struggle financially during this crisis as it can be hard to provide an income. Some bias against Trump, for trying to sway the votes in his favor. I think the media’s responsibility during the pandemic is to inform the public on new occurrences that manifest with the virus. It is also their responsibility to be a watchdog over other media sources and people. If any wrong doing happens it is their job to report on it. -
2020-10-08T19:44:54
Masks may reduce viral dose, some experts say
Many Researchers have known that masks can prevent people from spreading viruses to others. Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease physician made the argument that people wearing face coverings will take in fewer coronavirus particles. They have found the more virus in the nasal plume, the likelier the people were to get infected and experience symptoms. Some researchers have estimated that about 40 percent of coronavirus infections do not produce any symptoms. But when people wear masks, the proportion of asymptomatic cases seems to increase. Wearing a face covering doesn’t make people impervious to infection, but these trends could make a milder disease, reducing deaths. -
2020-08-25
Sidewalk art about inmates fighting California's fires
There have been over 8,000 fires in California during 2020, and CalFire has been short staffed due to COVID-19 lockdowns at prison facilities. Inmates and typically make up 40% of the CA's firefighters, and this piece of sidewalk art drew attention to the incarcerated people risking their lives to stop the fires. -
2020-10-08
SF Public Library + SFMOMA giveaway
SF Public Library has partnered with SFMOMA to provide free art kits at mobile library locations. I live in the city, and thought this was a neat way for the library to engage with people while their branches are closed. -
2020-10-05
The Covid Economy Carves Deep Divide Between Haves and Have-Nots
Large portions of the population are struggling economically due to the pandemic but others are secure in their jobs. This is leading to a deepening inequality between groups. This is important to me as it gives those of us who have been lucky during this pandemic with a different viewpoint -
2020-10-01
New York City imposes $1,000 fine for people who refuse to wear masks in public
This article is about how New Yorkers will be fined up to $1,000 if they do not wear a face mask in public. I chose this article because i don't like wearing face masks in public, i believe that masks should be optional and not mandatory. Life now during the pandemic reveals that you don't really have a choice, you have to abide by the law even if you don't want to or agree with it. This article informs us what other states are going through, we aren't the only ones unlucky but it also shows us to be grateful that we aren't getting fined for not wearing masks in public places. In this article you won't find too much bias, however whenever they spoke about the mayor of New York they spoke about him as “Democratic Mayor Bill”. The media's responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic is to inform the general public about what is happening around us in the world, showing us we are not the only ones going through this unfortunate times. The media during the pandemic has not been much an informer but as a source to hear bad things about our country and government. -
2020-03-12
Coronavirus hurting the economy
The main point of this article is to inform the reader about the impact covid has had on our economy. Personally, I chose this article because I am very interested in the stock market and our economy and I feel like this article is right along the lines of that. This article shows how during this pandemic, the S&P 500 fell 21 percent and how by the end of 2020 we could see another recession. It also shows how if president Trump went through with the Payroll Tax Cut Act then we would have a lesser chance of recession. This is an important article because the economy is what America runs on and covid played a huge role in its downfall during the pandemic. There is definitely more of a conservative bias because it is from Fox News and it talks positively about Trump's economic policies. In my opinion, during a time like this the media should not have a bias because the virus does not care about your political views. What I mean by that is we need to be informed about the virus with facts and not opinions from the left side of the media and the right side. So the medias only responsibility should be to inform the American people with facts. -
2020-10-07
Covid in the U.S: Latest Map and Case Count
The New York Times article accurately stated new information and articulated ideas that grasped my attention. The death rate, the number of infected individuals, the number of cases in certain location, and credible data were the main points the news article covered. The main ideas allowed people to fully understand the significance of the pandemic affecting the environments dynamic worldwide. I choose this article because as I was looking through my options, I noticed this specific article has tons of information that is credible. To add, this article focuses on not just one main idea, but lot of facts that intertwine with one another, which gives the full scope of the situation occurring. The article discussed the number of deaths and cases along with specific places that are being impacted the most. To add, New York Times mentioned how the lives of innocent people in America, “has been fundamentally reordered because of the virus. Concerts, parades and high school football games continue to be called off. Countless people have found themselves jobless and struggling to afford housing”. This ties into why the news article is important and what it reveals about the life during the pandemic. Historians can use this article in an archive, which will allow them to compare it to other sources and understand what was going on during this time period. With multiple different sources from different points of views and perspectives it can be very helpful for someone to thoroughly analyze for future reference. The bias in the news article is neutral and not bias, which is significant when focusing on the clear credible data given. I can tell that it is neutral because the article doesn’t lean toward a specific side, which I personally really like. With that being said the media as a whole is responsible for making sure that each and every individual is aware of the circumstances going on. It is important for the media to stay transparent without sharing fake news and a biased standpoint that would persuade people in the wrong direction. As a whole the media needs to be regulated and changed for the future because it plays a huge role in billions of people’s lives. -
2020-06-26
Still Confused About Masks?
The main point of this news article is getting across the point that it is very important to wear face masks while in the public. It has many pieces of evidence to support the wearing of masks. It also covers a few great points which is does it matter what mask each individual wears, and also does wearing the mask protect you from covid-19, or the people around you from it? This is the reason why I chose this article. I have been questioning both of these points since covid-19 and mask wearing started. This article reveals just how important it is to wear a mask when you are in the public and around other individuals that are not considered within your “personal bubble”. Many people are struggling with life in the pandemic right now, but also they are not doing their part in slowing the spread by properly masking up in public. The news article is very important because most of the population doesn’t know everything about covid-19 since it is new to all of us. The article provides crucial information on how to stop the spread, and hopefully eliminate the covid-19 virus. In this article, there is no bias standing out to me. This article is a fact based article that provides scientifically proven information about the virus. All of the claims of this article has stated have been run by tests. For example, a test was run about how many respiratory droplets left one’s mouth when saying a simple phrase. Without a mask, there was a range from 20-500 micrometers generated. With a face mask, nearly all of the droplets were trapped by the face mask. The responsibility of the media during the covid-19 pandemic is to keep the population up to date and educated about the virus. The more educated the population is, the slower the virus will spread, because a fraction of the population that is informed will follow protocols and safety tips from the media. From this article, I learned that wearing a face mask is much more powerful than I thought it was. After learning this from the article, I will make sure to wear a face mask when I am around my friends or in the public 100% of the time. -
2020-10-06
As Trump Seeks to Project Strength, Doctors Disclose Alarming Episodes
On friday october 3 the president of the united states of america was diagnosed with covid -19. This was a great shock to a lot of the people around me and myself. To me this was a very big moment, as he was one of the first world leaders who had caught the virus. -
2020-10-06
The Media & COVID-19, Lesson Plan
This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. Students are asked to identify a news article that highlights an important aspect of the COVID-19 experience. Students are also asked to write a summary of the article that includes an overview of the article, why they selected the article, the importance of the article, what the article reveals about life during COVID-19, identification of any noticeable bias in the article, and a statement about the responsibility of the media during the pandemic. The curriculum and student work are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide insight into the topics that are important to teenagers, as well as the expectations and reality of the media during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences. -
2020-10-06
"Trump mounts bizarre and misleading White House return despite warnings"
A display of how the president is acting ignorantly during this time. -
2020-09-06
How has Covid-19 Effected Children and Adolescents Mental Health
Personaly I can relate to this because since school closed and I wasn't able to do any of my everyday activities such as seeing my friends and playing sports. Not only is online school hard, but I also find myself less motivated to do things and I feel like I have less energy. -
2020-10-03T05:47
‘The likely outcome’: Trump’s COVID diagnosis followed waning precautions at the White House
This article emphasizes how current president Trump and the first lady has recently tested positive for COVID-19. The article’s main points include expressing the reasoning for Trump’s diagnosis and the precautions that are being held at the White House and across America. I decided to choose this news article because right when I read the title I became very engaged in wanting to figure out what the article was all about. After my reading, I was very glad I took my article to choose and read this one. This article constantly elaborated on the Covid-19 pandemic and revealed how Trump plays a role on how it affects people’s lives. Throughout the article I believe that it was a little biased. Although the article was expressing the facts of the situation it phased it in a way that put the president down. For an example, near the beginning it said “ from holding large gatherings to resisting masks, the president, his administration and his campaign have sent conflicting messages to the American public as they sought to portray an image of strength and normality,”. This part of the article indicates the bad of Trump right in the beginning. Also, towards the end of the article it mentioned that someone spoke saying, “it really ticks me off that we have a president who has failed to do one of the most basic thighs a president should do, which is keep himself safe, “. Although the point of the article was to announce Trump's positive test, it spent a lot of time bashing Trump for not wearing a mask, and holding gatherings that violated proper guidelines. For these reasons I do believe that this article is biased. In addition, the media holds a role in the pandemic, and this article can be an example. This article does elaborate on the facts but it expressed them in a very biased way that may convince people to blame one person or not grasp the entirety of the situation. In other examples the media can rather undermine or exaggerate the truth of the pandemic and the impacts that it holds. The media has shaped many major events throughout the world, and COVID-19 is definitely one of them. -
2020-10-05
Covid-19 and The Media
This article serves to inform the public of President Trump’s current condition after being diagnosed with Covid-19. It talks about how the doctors taking care of Trump contradict themselves when talking about his health condition and it leaves people wondering if he is in a worse state than they are making him out to be. I chose this article because I haven’t heard anything about Trump since he was diagnosed with Covid-19 and I wanted to know the latest news on his condition. This article shows how much of an impact Covid-19 is currently having in our Country. The President getting diagnosed with a disease right before the election can obviously have massive repercussions in the political world and America as a whole. This article is important because it lets people see the current state of our President in this crucial time and see the severity of what's going on. There is no bias that I could find in this article because the headlines, wording, sources, and even the pictures all have a very neutral standpoint. The article is simply presenting the facts and evidence they gathered from various sources. The responsibility of the media during the Covid-19 pandemic is to inform people of the situation around the world and spread the importance of safety. The pandemic has obviously started a lot of conflicts that can be seen all throughout the media, but the main priority of all people should be ensuring the safety of themselves and others around them. -
2020-10-05
Trump Covid: President downplays virus on leaving hospital
Trump has covid and was hospitalized. When he got out he continued to down play it and say that you'll get over it. -
2020-09-18
Coronavirus Deaths Pass One Million Worldwide (NYT)
The author explains how the COVID19 pandemic has taken more lives than many diseases. The virus has impacted and taken over the world, impacting the economy and the health of everyone. Some say that the major failing to prevent the spread of the virus is due to the government's lack of commuinication with the public. The fact that the virus could have been avoided or maintained is such a shame. -
2020-10-02
UCSF testing promising new treatment that could lessen COVID-19 symptoms
This article by the San Francisco Chronicles is about how the UCSF Hospital has promised a new treatment that could lessen COVID-19 symptoms. I chose this article because it stood out to me as a reader, and I knew it would stand out to everyone else during this pandemic. If this new treatment does what UCSF says it could do to COVID-19 symptoms, it will be a turning point for this awful pandemic. I recommend reading this article because it’s important to keep updated on the most concerning issue that’s spreading around the world. The media has the responsibility to share recent updates and information that is important to the pandemic. Sharing any information about the pandemic is useful for everyone whether it’s good or bad news. -
2020-09-28
Masks, Floor Decals, Mute Buttons: How Schools are Scrambling to Open
The main point of this news article is to show how teachers and administrators are struggling to adjust to the new lifestyle of having school during a pandemic, while being safe at the same time. I chose this news article because as a student, it’s important to be aware of what you may have to experience when going back to school. Also, the precautions and safety nets that teachers are taking should be addressed because they’re putting in lots of work for students. This news article shows that the school lifestyle is going to change drastically for teachers and students due to the new learning spaces, social distancing, and hygiene necessities. Furthermore, this news article is important because it’s not evident on how long this pandemic may affect our lives, so the public needs to be educated on the situation that we’re going to be put in and may continue to be put in. There’s no bias evident in the article, however there is a perspective point of view from New York teachers and how they are forced to handle these harsh times. The responsibility of the media during the COVID-19 pandemic is to spread awareness on how everyone can be kept safe and that we must take extra precautions so we can go back to our daily lives and see students go back to school freely again. -
2020-10-03
India’s Covid-19 Death Toll Passes 100,000
The U.S. and Brazil have more reported cases, but India is going to lift more restrictions. In India there are more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths and they are trying to have more restrictions so they can slow down these cases. They are ranked the second highest caseload in the world with approximately 6.4 million cases. It is important because people need to see how serious this virus is and start doing restrictions even if the state says it’s not necessary. -
2020-10-05
The Weird Reality of Pro Sports during Covid-19
The main point of this article is to simply address the odd time that we are currently in. It points out things in sports that were unheard of before this 2020 season. I chose this article because first of all I love watching sports, and was excited for them to come back. But, also I think this article does a good job of pointing out the obvious things that everyone is feeling and simply addressing that these times are simply just weird. This article reveals the difference of watching sports now, during the pandemic, compared to a year ago when you could physically cheer on your teams or even just eat a hot dog at a live game. This article is important because it documents the way many people are feeling about sports in 2020. I think this is important to showcase because sports have taken so many drastic measures in order to keep going. The author of this article is definitely a sports fan, but he doesn’t seem upset at the current situation of sports. He is simply stating the differences between then and now. The media is responsible for providing accurate information about the state of the pandemic itself but also providing uplifting content that will help people who are struggling through these times or content that will bring people together and uplift the community. -
2020-04-15
Bay Area health care workers want more transparency about on-the-job coronavirus exposure
In 2020, there are a lot of secrets that are being kept from health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health workers have emphasized that they want to be immediately notified when they have come in contact with the coronavirus by patients, so they are able to get tested and stay safe away from others. However, many of them have not been notified- and that resulted them into testing positive for the coronavirus. This is extremely important to talk about because without health care workers, the pandemic would be much more out of control than how it is now. They put their lives at risk to help patients who have the coronavirus. If more and more workers are in the dark to whether a patient they have worked with has COVID, then there were be less health care workers available at hospitals for assistance. -
2020-10-04
Raiders fined $50,000 for COVID-19 violation
This news article mainly explains how the Raiders were very recently charged a large fine of $50,000 for allowing an employee who was not allowed to enter into the lockerroom during this pandemic. The NFL has regulations and rules made fro the players and teams to follow, and the raiders broke one of the rules. Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time the raiders have done this. The raiders along with a coach were fined a sum of $350,000 for having one of the coaches on the sidelines not properly wear his mask. I chose this news article because I really like watching football with my family and keeping up to date on different teams. I knew that I would enjoy reading this article and it also mentioned the COVID pandemic. This news article reveals how many sports have had to adjust to the pandemic. Before COVID, there weren’t as many regulations on what teams had to do, but now that the Corona Virus is spreading easily many teams had to adjust to the new way of life. The bias that could possibly exist in this news article is the disliking of the Raiders. I think that a Raiders fan would react differently to this article than an enemy of the Raiders. A fan might be embarrassed, while a rival might find it amusing. The responsibility of the media is to inform the public on new information. This information allows the public to learn about the pandemic and easily adjust. Fore example, now that this article has been published, I would think that most NFL teams would try to avoid making the same mistakes that the Raiders have made. No NFL teams want to be fined. -
2020-10-05
Masks Help Reduce Risk of Viral infection
This article helps support masks and tell us how much they reduce the spread of this pandemic. -
2020-10-05T08:49
covid world map
The article shows where their cases are globally and what trends they are following in different countries. -
2020-10-05
The New York Times-- As Trump Seeks to Project Strength, Doctors Disclose Alarming Episodes
This article is important because it shows that the president during the COVID-19 pandemic was not smart and didn’t take it seriously.