Scotty's Blog

A critical analysis of Chuck Todd

Chuck Todd was to be the keynote speaker of the WJMC. However I was sorely disappointed by his presentation. Being a White House Correspondent for a media outlet such as NBC, one would expect Todd to be a fairly good public speaker. However, he was not. He used many fillers, to the point in which it drowned out the speech. Over halfway through his speech, being the little investigative journalist that I am, I decided to just get an idea of how many times he used his filler “you know.” By the time he was done presenting, a surprising number of 106 surfaced. This puts into retrospect just how scripted his briefings over the television must be. One would think that being on the television all the time, Todd would be an excellent public speaker. This was not the case. One can respect his accomplishments no doubt, but it is very interesting how much a script can change the perception of one’s public speaking abilities.

Dean Flagel’s Bagels

The Dean of admissions to George Mason also presented today, informing us on the process of admissions into a college. This was a gold mine of information for me. If Dean Flagel was a baker, all this information would be like delicious bagels, and it surely filled me up. Thanks Dean!

Touring of the Capital Building

Today we also visited the Capital Building.

Day four: a shooting and death occurred close to the White House campus. This was just right after the WJMC left. Full details still unknown, but a the following link leads to information known so far. Update on day four pending

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/15/dc.capitol.shooting/index.html?iref=newssearch

Up until this point I have found day three to be the best of all the days. The National Press Club was very interesting. To know that I had stepped foot in a room that Fidel Castro, a man who I had read, studied, and heard about for so many years, himself had been in, was a humbling. Trips to the Smithsonian museums as well as the seeing the Lincoln and Washington Memorials brought forth a surge of history and power upon me. Events and monuments to people and places that had shaped to world that we live in today. My interest in politics and history is rekindled. Walking around the city, and seeing all the federal buildings and architecture persuaded me that I could see myself coming here again, be it for the long term or for another short trip. The power and prestige of the Capital are enough to inspire anybody to become what they want. To shape history is what I desire, and that is a very attainable goal in my eyes.

“Got apology?”

First and foremost, Scotty is going to address a little issue that happened today. It’s interesting that this conference stressed today that the when reporting it is important to get the story and the facts right. When reporting these facts to individuals it is expected that both of these are correct. Today that didn’t happen at the Washington Media and Journalism Conference. A certain woman, I won’t name drop, had her story correct. “Break the Tape” blog was real. However, she failed to get the facts right and present them in a manner that made her story correct. A simple matter of switching the last name with the first name, caused an innocent man, your own Scotty, to be wrongly accussed in front of the rest of his national youth correspondents. Furthermore, when the matter was sorted out with this woman, she failed to offer an apology to me, and to the rest of the national youth correspondents for getting the facts wrong. So in journalism, I take it that it is not the media’s job to apologize for the misreprsentation of facts. Well Scotty is here to progress journalism and make it better. By admitting mistakes and apologizing for accidentially slandering innocent people, perhaps the media will gain a better rep and brighter future. I urge my fellow national youth correspondents to take the steps to man up, or in this case, “woman up,” and apologize for any misrepresentation of fact you make and for the people it may hurt. As for accused, I forgive you. It’s not too late, however, for you to come forward and apologize to my face, and in front of the rest of the correspondents.

Day One Haiku

Play music daily

Born city, raised as farmer

I will be somebody

Scott Goebel is an International Baccalaureate student at Palisade High School, Colorado. He has many diverse interests. An active lifestyle, Scott plays soccer, runs, lifts weights, snowboards, longboards, martial arts, bikes, hunts, fishes, camps, boats, and hikes. Living in an agricultural town he works on his family vineyard and ranch. He also works at the local cafe. Musically talented, he plays the bagpipes competitively and amateur. Other instruments include piano, cello, didgeridoo, and bass guitar. Listening to music is also a major part of his life. Artistically Scott does theater and has played roles and done tech in multiple shows. Academically he is interested in literature and history. Scott seeks a career in international relations with the State Department, to own a restaurant, and to publish his writings in the form of literature or film.