Most recent public comments by George Ocampo https://nowcomment.com/users/18757 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521741 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521741 In this scene, we are shown what kind of information journalists can be exposed to. Because they are always with a ready ear, they will also be subject to noise and gossip. Journalists need to be discerning when choosing what information to build their stories upon. Wed, 18 May 2016 06:41:49 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521740 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521740 It isn't news because this woman apparently has a history of sleeping with different partners. Thus, it is not surprising at all. Sun, 15 May 2016 19:24:25 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521739 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521739 The reporter didn't laugh at the joke because he completely missed it. He was too distracted. It is clear that he is paying attention to what is going on but he is not completely "present". Sun, 15 May 2016 19:23:24 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521737 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521737 A spare lover. She clearly has a history of being involved with a number of different individuals. Wed, 18 May 2016 06:36:17 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521736 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521736 The reporter needs to understand his place in the story. He needs to be able too see and recognize the entire story and not involve himself because of his personal emotions. He needs to stay subjective. Sun, 15 May 2016 19:02:22 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521735 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521735 The reporter is being told to remember that he is not to get too close to those he is writing on. He is getting in too deep, building too much of a relationship with the story. Thu, 19 May 2016 22:18:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521734 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=521734 He is referring to gathering the relevant information, sources, and facts leading up to the story. To set it up. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:57:12 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521733 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521733 Reporters are often illustrated as rumpled and untidy to illustrate the obsessive and consuming nature of their work. They become involved in their subjects and in a way, become subject to them. Reporters are under pressure to fulfill their duties. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:50:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521732 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521732 The aquarium is a good analogy for the existence of the editor and reporter. On one hand, an aquarium sustains underwater life, but it also restricts their life to the confines of if its walls. The editor and reporter do this because it is their life, but they are also limited by it. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:48:25 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521731 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521731 This illustration of dusty and gloomy suggests that the journalism practiced is stale and unappealing. It suggests that the writing lacks excitement or newness. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:44:50 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521719 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521719 The reporter's description as appearing "corpse-like" suggests that he is seems to be lifeless, searching for energy. This is reflects upon his journalism, he is searching for truth and story like he is searching for life. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:36:59 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521718 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=521718 The "downfunnelled light" from the scene paints the room as dark, being illuminated by a single light cast above its subjects. It drapes a dramatic shadow on the shapes below it. It sets a serious tone for the journalist, and reflects how he like is a single light trying to illuminate a whole room, being a single journalist trying to uncover an entire story. Thu, 19 May 2016 19:25:58 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=521717 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=521717 The image of the reporter I received was a reporter who seems to have an instinct for eventful happenings but is unable to deliver them in a way acceptable to the editor. The editor seems to give him credit, but also jab at him. Sun, 15 May 2016 18:24:18 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=521716 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=521716 The second sentence suggests that a reporter has just a much a sense for events as much as they have involvement. Their natural instinct for the events typically ushers them to become a part of it. Thu, 19 May 2016 18:42:59 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521711 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521711 The metaphor of love affair can apply to those three narratives not only because of the relationship between the journalist and the subject, but also the relationship between the journalist and the biography itself. A journalist is driven by their passion for the artform of truthful, illustrative narrative. Thus, the journalist, in a way, has a love affair with telling the story. Tue, 17 May 2016 15:49:20 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521708 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521708 Exactly. The niceties and closeness that are common to the journalist and subject relationship are often part of simply getting to what the journalist wants- to build trust that will help expose the truth that will build an accurate story. Wed, 18 May 2016 06:57:27 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521707 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44650?scroll_to=521707 This is true. By being being so open to McGinniss, MacDonald might simply be trying to get on his good side, and earn credibility through the reporter. Also, there might be some intention to the documents he is offering to McGinniss. Thu, 19 May 2016 07:28:34 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44649?scroll_to=517444 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44649?scroll_to=517444 There is definitely a fine line between being able to obtain trust through exposing yourself and making yourself completely vulnerable and relinquishing any leverage you may have had. In some cases, putting all of your cards on the table could very well have the opposite effect and make you even less trustworthy. Sat, 14 May 2016 17:18:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44649?scroll_to=517443 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44649?scroll_to=517443 Exactly. Wambaugh is trying to make it explicitly clear that he is unafraid of telling the story in the way that he sees it. It would be *his* story, not MacDonald's. He wants to abandon any idea of MacDonald being able to influence or even see the final product. Sat, 14 May 2016 07:53:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44648?scroll_to=509999 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44648?scroll_to=509999 This statement rings very clearly to what was being seen in Pylon and A Private Life of Michael Foot. The idea that a journalist must work in a state of moral anarchy suggests that he must work in such a way that he defies any sense of authority or order for the sake of delivering a true, honest, and interesting story. This can be seen in Pylon through the journalist's efforts despite his editor, and in Michael Foot's biography when he wanted his better characteristics to be highlighted. Wed, 18 May 2016 07:00:23 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504911 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504911 The cliche emphasizes Montaigne's favor for details, expressing that it is these details that truly make a story interesting. Especially for well-known stories, the plot is already a given, but it is the details and intricacies of the individuals behind the story that provide character. For a biographer, his job is to focus on these details. The subjects themselves are already well-known, so readers are interested in the details behind the famous figures that make them more real. Sat, 02 Apr 2016 07:43:53 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504907 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504907 It is simply impossible to reveal truth without offending people. There are many perspectives to please and when one's intent to be honest, there are sure to be people who might disagree or be unaware. A biographer's job is to bring forward aspects of a subject's life that may not be commonly seen and these details are often hidden for a reason. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 00:39:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504905 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504905 Perhaps Michael was simply not phased by Benn's comments. Barbara Castle's obituary may have been hypocritical, but there is little for Michael to benefit from elaborating on Benn's writing. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:50:55 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504902 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=504902 Sharing a bed has an implication of an very personal and intimate connection, one that crosses the boundaries that should be held between biographers and subjects. Although the biographer's relationship to the subject comes into play when writing, there is a line to be upheld to keep professionalism. Sharing a bed could implicate a personal connection that might interfere with the honesty of the story. Fri, 01 Apr 2016 07:52:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499779 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499779 I think this is a great analogy explaining how a biography is not a work of the subject but a product of the biographer. A painting is an artist's illustration of his vision, and a biography is just the same. It comes from the perspective of the writer and demonstrates his vision. Surely, every view is subject to criticism, but it also speaks to the things that the writer sees and believes necessary to deliver to his audience. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:57:57 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499770 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499770 Michael sees the journalist as a friend, rather than simply a journalist observing his life. There is a bond between the two, especially as they are both of a literary nature. It is also Michael's character to be welcoming, as the home was designed by Jill was made to be enjoyed be large and hospitable to guests. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:49:18 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499767 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499767 The novel continues to portray journalism as an uncreative medium. By illustrating the reporter's plight to satisfy his creativity against the editor's limitations, journalism is painted to be limiting. The full story and expression the reporter is trying to deliver is prevented by the requirements of a newspaper. Sat, 19 Mar 2016 08:24:13 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499764 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499764 The reporter calls an editor a bastard in a fit of rage, and is going to drink now that he has satisfied the editor's requirements. The editor's demands have stripped the reporter of his creative style and freedom. With his skills reduced to bland news for pay that is quite modest, he mockingly invites the editor to pay for his drinks. Sat, 19 Mar 2016 08:20:49 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499761 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499761 I think "efficiently" is the right word here. The piece is now stripped of it's more creative and narrative elements and has been reduced to a delivery of facts, with no efforts to "paint a picture". Sat, 19 Mar 2016 08:23:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499748 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44121?scroll_to=499748 The copyboy thinks he is reading "the beginning of literature" because of the style of the draft. The draft is written much like a narrative, using stylistic elements like comparing death to a lone competitor further develops the feeling that this piece is no longer news, but a story. Because of this, the draft is discarded because this is exactly what the editor has been preaching to move against. Fri, 20 May 2016 23:39:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486656 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486656 "Michael the Apostate" foreshadows how Foot would eventually go against his own word. After proclaiming that "all authorised biographies are hereby condemned," the reference suggests that Michael will later react in a way that goes against this bold statement. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:43:37 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486629 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486629 The issue with authorized biographies is the fact that the subject has too much of a hand in the final story, often ushering to paint themselves in a certain light and omitting details that would tarnish their desired image. An authorized biography gives too much power to the subject. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:43:12 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486609 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=486609 To be a journalist first is to be focused on obtaining the truth of a story and the willingness to unravel it despite the risks that may be included. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:42:10 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=486586 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=486586 The editor's last statement is meant to tell the reporter to separate himself from the story. The analogy of twins/triplets/regiment suggests the reporter to separate from himself in order to maintain the boundaries of professionalism a reporter should have when writing a story. Thu, 19 May 2016 20:39:50 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=486550 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=486550 The editor is trying to make it very clear that he does not want the reporter to become too involved with the story. He knows the reporter seeks to become more involved as a part of his story, but the editor wishes for a more detached perspective. Quite simply, the editor wants the reporter to provide an account whose headline can catch a reader's attention, whereas the reporter really wants to get to the heart of the story. Fri, 20 May 2016 00:22:28 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479501 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479501 The passage suggests that the editors of the newspaper are looking for news that will grab the attention of readers and present stories in a straightforward manner. They are not looking for even the best presentations of fiction but simply news that will satisfy those in positions of power at the newspaper. Thu, 25 Feb 2016 16:47:12 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479497 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479497 Literature has no place on the paper because it has a stigma associated with elaborate works of fiction. The paper is not looking for works of that nature but rather news that can grab attention and present facts. Thu, 25 Feb 2016 16:44:29 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=466816 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=466816 Foot is looking for the biography to be honest and positive, highlighting his life in the fashion that he sees it. Naturally, his perception is that he is a just man and hope the biography delivers that, which may conflict with the biographer's perception which is to be more objective. Wed, 10 Feb 2016 10:35:06 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=466503 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=466503 I think that "buffering the biography" suggests that Foot was trying to provide hospitality and generosity in a way that would try to sway the direction of the biography into his benefit. Naturally, someone wants to be portrayed in a positive light, with their positive characteristics highlighted and their less appealing ones unnoticed. Sat, 21 May 2016 02:44:00 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=457111 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=457111 When interviewing somebody, you discover different sides of the same person which you want to share to your reader. However, the individual being interviewed may be opposed to certain facets of their personality being exposed, whether it be to protect their image or for fear that interviews may try to indulge in the more negative characteristics. Overall, there is often a difference between what an interviewer wants to show and what a subject wants to be seen. Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:45:49 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=457103 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=457103 A narrative that is "smoothed over" is meant to shorten the gaps that may distract or take away from the main story. As "a book about process", the biography's perspective feels to be more in the first person. Instead of simply focusing on a subject, it illustrates how the narrator comes to know the subject. Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:42:22 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456046 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456046 The "thick heavy typesplattered" front page suggests that the piece is of a journalism whose main intention is to grab the reader's interest with excitement. Heavy type indicates that the front page is really set on attracting a reader to the story. Fri, 19 Feb 2016 21:27:37 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456042 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456042 I would say that a style that uses ejaculations is probably focused on sensational phrases and words to grab the attention of a passing glance. Thu, 04 Feb 2016 14:06:50 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456039 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=456039 A dogwatch looks to be almost a tabloid form of news, one where the stories are based on gossip and probably indulge in things that are not exactly factual. It appears to be an entertainment form of reading. Thu, 19 May 2016 22:39:38 -0400