Reflection 05: Made in the Golden State—California Companies We Love

California is home to some of the most compelling companies in the world, leading the way in fields as diverse as defense, biotech, tech, alternative energy, and entertainment. Coming from a state that is home to both Silicon Valley and Hollywood, our companies are also strong cultural forces around the world, using technology and media to shape people's everyday lives. In fact, so influential are California companies that some have even become verbs in the American vernacular. Going to miss your favorite show tonight? Tivo it. Need some quick cash? You can eBay some of your stuff. Have a question you need a quick answer to? Just Google it. After reviewing this list of California-based companies, write about the three companies that most influence your day-to-day life. Why do these companies impact you so much? How have you come to count on them? What about them is uniquely Californian?

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length

Due: Th 11.06

Golden State News 10.29.14

• SAN FRANCISO: The Giants beat the Royals to win their third World Series in five years (San Francisco Chronicle)
• STATE: "California Thursdays" bring locally-harvested produce to school kids (LA Weekly)
• MARTINEZ: Cops confesses to stealing—and forwarding—nude photos of woman in custody (Contra Costa Times)
• STATE: California braces for a much-needed storm on Halloween (KCRA)
• ORANGE COUNTY: Survey names OC roads the best in state (KABC)
• SAN JOSE: A's, San Jose sign seven-year land option extention; hopes for new Silicon Valley home still alive (San Jose Mercury News)

Week 10: San Diego

Balboa Park is home to the renowned San Diego Zoo

Week 10: San Diego

Tu 10.28/Th 10.30

Class: Multimedia presentations

Due: INFOGRAPHIC (Email final draft to dhdelao@gmail.com by 2 PM)

Upcoming:

Week 11: Monterey

Tu 11.04/Th 11.06

Class: Multimedia presentations; Writers workshop; Lecture—“Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”

Due: RESEARCH PAPER THESIS; REFLECTION 05
 

Golden State News 10.22.14

• SAN FRANCISCO: Lorde's "Royals" banned by Bay Area radio stations until after the World Series; meanwhile, Kansas City station plays it on a loop (Consequence of Sound)
• STATE: Now beleagured bees must contend with drought (CNBC)
• BUENA PARK: Knott's Berry Farm under fire for it s"culturally insensitive" Day of the Dead-themed scare house (Fox News)
• LOS GATOS: Tech startup develops Back to the Future-style hoverboard (Los Angeles Times)
• STATE: How much home does $1.5 million buy in Pasadena compared to Arizona and New Hampshire? (New York Times)

Week 09: Fresno

Visitors to the Fresno Blossom Trail can see the trees at their height from late February to mid-March

Week 09: Fresno

Readings: eR—“You Suck at Infographics’ (Wired), “80 Best Infographics on the Web” (Creative Bloq), “What Makes a Great Infographic?” (DashBurst), “Infographics: Separating the Great from the Mediocre" (The Next Web) 

Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Due: INFOGRAPHIC (Draft 1; Bring 2 copies)

Upcoming:

Week 10: San Diego

Tu 10.28/Th 10.30

Class: Multimedia presentations

Due: INFOGRAPHIC (Email final draft to dhdelao@gmail.com by 2 PM)

Golden State News 10.16.14

• WASCO: Armed clowns continue to terrorize small town (ABC News)
• LOS ANGELES: Bus driver quarantined in Ebola scare (Reuters)
• CUPERTINO: Apple, other tech companies, to cover female employees' egg freezing (San Jose Mercury News)
• MOUNTAIN VIEW: Google's Nexus Player takes on Apple TV (Forbes) 
• MODESTO: Man dies after being mauled by neighbor's pit bulls (CBS News) 
• LOS ANGELES: Photographer captures the "beautiful weirdos" of LA (Vice)

Week 08: Avalon

The Catalina Casino overlooks Avalon Bay

Week 08: Avalon

Tu 10.14/Th 10.16

Readings: APRICOT—“Padres and Apricots trees”-“Apricot Acreage”—“Afterward: The Second Orchard” 

Class: Multimedia presentations; Library research session (TBA)

 

Upcoming:

 

Week 09: Fresno

Tu 10.21/Th 10.23

Readings: TBD

Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Due:  TBD

Golden State News 10.09.14

• ORANGE COUNTY: 50 sperm whales make rare appearance off OC coast (Orange County Register)  
• SANTA CLARA COUNTY: Here are 20 restaurants that got shut down when county health grades were released (SanJoseInside)
• LONG BEACH: CSU administrators found spending donated money on parties, alcohol, and concert tickets (KCBS)
• STATE: Cal nurses say they are unprepared for Ebola (California Healthline) 
• SANTA CRUZ: Chef quits over alleged animal cruelty incident; restauranteurs under investigation (KTVU)
• SANTA CLARA: Man left partially paralyzed after Levi's Stadium bathroom brawl (Deadspin)

Week 07: Crescent City

Crescent City's Battery Point Lighthouse was built in 1856

Week 07: Crescent City
Tu 10.07/Th 10.09
Readings: “Porn Flicks or Virtual Coliseum? Risking Actors' Lives for Sport,” “Why the LGBTQ Community Should Oppose AB1576,” “Condom Bill Targeting California Porn Industry Dies in Committee,” “Porn Actor Mr. Marcus Covered Up an STD While Continuing to Make X-Rated Movies”
Class: Reading presentation; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“On Wordiness”

Due: EDITORIAL 1

Upcoming:

Week 08: Avalon

Tu 10.14/Th 10.16

Readings: APRICOT—“Padres and Apricots trees”-“Apricot Acreage”—“Afterward: The Second Orchard” 

Class: Multimedia presentations; Library research session (TBA)

 

Editorial: Mandating Condoms in California's Porn Industry

In 2012, Los Angeles County voters passed Measure B (The County of Los Angeles Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act) in a 57 to 43% vote. The law mandates the use of condoms in all pornographic sex scenes produced in Los Angeles County—including the San Fernando Valley, the center of the American porn industry and home to nearly $6 billion in revenue. Two years later, X-rated filming permits have plummeted 90% in Los Angeles. Additionally, many production companies have relocated to Las Vegas, or simply moved shoots outside of the county. This year, AB1576 was introduced in the State Legislature. That bill would have mandated the use of condoms in porn at a state-wide level, including the gay porn industry, centered in San Francisco. AB1576 died in committee this summer, but supporters are vowing to continue the fight. How should this issue be resolved? Are these laws, as many contend, ultimately about workers’ safety and public health? Do porn actors merit the same work safety considerations as a firefighter or teacher? And how much should economics play into the debate? For example, should porn’s annual $36 million state tax contribution be a factor? What of the potential job losses? Do these laws encourage even more production flight from the state? In a concise editorial, present your solution to this issue of mandated condom use in porn.

Remember, an editorial expresses an opinion on a current issue. It may take a formal or informal tone, but its primary goal is always to persuade readers. Because editorials were born in newspapers, they are traditionally succinct in form and can often carry the "voice" of the author. Below are a series of recent editorials from around the country.

• "Drought Not Just a California Problem" (USA Today)
• "Congress Needs to Raise the Minimum Wage" (Dallas Morning News)
• "The Enablers of ISIS" (Boston Globe)
• "NFL Fumbled Domestic Abuse, but Public Can Still Advance the Issue" (Oregonian)
• "More Than Pictures Stolen in Celeb Phone-Hacking Case" (Seattle Times)
• "The Sluggish Fight Against Ebola" (New York Times)

Requirements:

• Approximately two full pages
• Cite from at least three porn-related articles (located in the eR)
• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Works cited page

Due: Thu 10.09