Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 12, 2011

Blog 10

            It was late night March 10^th, as I was writing my blog for this English class, when I briefly checked Facebook for the newest social updates.  I saw the usual updates from friends who are always up around that hour, but a different post caught my attention that read “earthquake in Japan.”  Realizing I was approaching midnight and began feeling very tiered, I didn’t pay much attention to it and continued writing my paper.  As I checked Facebook minutes later, the next post I read was “earthquake in Japan, keep them in your prayers.”  It was not till then that I became very curious to what people were referring to.  I reached for the television control and immediately changed it to CNN.  CNN has always been a reliable source and I knew they would be covering any type of breaking news.  I was shocked to see the aerial views streaming straight from Japan as the terrible catastrophe presented its self. I watched as a tsunami swallowed up acres of farmland in a matter of seconds.   I was no longer able to focus on my paper, as I was consumed by emotion about the current events. 

            Like the devastating tsunami,  the attacks on the World Trade Centers were unforgettable events that have received massive media attention.  It was a ninth grade morning when I was doing my usual routine: got ready for work and walked to my friends house.  When I arrived at her house she mentioned to me that an airplane had just crashed into a building.  Thinking the incident was minor, I headed to school without thinking much about it and at that age what fourteen year old would?  I was terribly wrong, my friend failed to mention that it was a commercial air plane filled with passengers that had crashed into that building.  Throughout the day I continued to hear about the “plane crash” but it wasn’t until I was in my 6^th period class that I realized how devastating the situation was.  The attacks against the World Trade Centers would be one of the worst attacks committed on the United States.   

            With both and many other horrific events, the mass media and technology efforts have allowed the information to stream out moments after they occur.  Local and world news allows for information to enter our household throughout the day.  CNN has been a leader in world news for many years and always provides on scene reports form those affected areas.  With the advance of technology, people around the world have access to post the latest news, current events and devastations that occur.  Unlike news reports that often can take days for a news anchor to be present on foreign countries, these individuals can post information in a matter of seconds.  Social cites such as Facebook, Twitter, Skipe allow friends and family members to stay connected despite time laps or location difference.  Like the events of Japan’s tsunami, Facebook was my primary source of information.  Through everyone’s notifications and the assistance of the mass media, the entire world, even those affected became informed of the devastating events.