The New York Times reported on a South Korean farmer that collects satellite dishes. He has 85 dishes that get around 1,500 channels--some from as far away as Canada and South Africa. He also uses his satellite skills to get channels from foreign brides' home countries to help them feel less homesick.
I thought this was an interesting article. The lead was fairly good--it started out stating the unusual fact of a Korean farmer having 85 satellite dishes.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
"The Bachelorette" Meets the Parents
Jillian goes to her two potential picks' homes this week on "The Bachelorette." Reid has apparent committment issues that are confirmed by his family... not a good sign. Michael and Jillian seem to be lacking any "spark."
The article just goes through a recap of this week's episode, but puts it into a different perspective. The lead was witty and captured my attention instantly... which is why I chose it. It's not too long, but the summary of the episode is very clever and keeps your attention the entire length, even if you have never watched an episode, you'd read the entire thing.
The article just goes through a recap of this week's episode, but puts it into a different perspective. The lead was witty and captured my attention instantly... which is why I chose it. It's not too long, but the summary of the episode is very clever and keeps your attention the entire length, even if you have never watched an episode, you'd read the entire thing.
Why Use a Laptop When You Have a Smartphone?
Writer John R. Quain of Is It Time to Ditch the Laptop for a Smartphone?, took the challenge and tried to go a week without his laptop; thinking if smartphones can do most of the tasks a laptop does why need both?
He started off with a Palm Pre, moved to an iPhone then ended with a HTC G1. As Quain went on he needed a more accommodating phone functions like the keys, screens and connections. The phones he tried proved to be more useful as he went down his list. Yet they all provided a great range of applications for banking, navigation, pricing, Microsoft Word and a sky map showing and describing the stars.
"Certainly, if all you need to do is send e-mail and occasionally surf the Web, the latest crop of souped-up cell phones can get you pretty far," Quain said. Quain went through three smartphones in four days, going back to his laptop because writing his article was to difficult.
This was a clever beat because many people may think they can go without their laptop and just use their smartphone. Quain explains the top smartphones and how useful they really can be if that's what someone needs. It was a very informative beat as well as humorous which made for a good read.
He started off with a Palm Pre, moved to an iPhone then ended with a HTC G1. As Quain went on he needed a more accommodating phone functions like the keys, screens and connections. The phones he tried proved to be more useful as he went down his list. Yet they all provided a great range of applications for banking, navigation, pricing, Microsoft Word and a sky map showing and describing the stars.
"Certainly, if all you need to do is send e-mail and occasionally surf the Web, the latest crop of souped-up cell phones can get you pretty far," Quain said. Quain went through three smartphones in four days, going back to his laptop because writing his article was to difficult.
This was a clever beat because many people may think they can go without their laptop and just use their smartphone. Quain explains the top smartphones and how useful they really can be if that's what someone needs. It was a very informative beat as well as humorous which made for a good read.
Italy train explosion kills at least 14
A tanker sprung a leak and derailed causing it to spill liquefied petroleum gas and starting a fire that killed at least 14 people, injuring 36 people with burns and collapsing dozens of homes and buildings in a residential area in thw town of Viareggio, Italy. As a result of the tanker derailing, it cause four other tank cars alsderailing leaving nine upright. It is suspected that one of the wagon locks might have malfunctioned and the conductor didn't appear to be at fault. The Monister of Transportation Altero Matteoli opened an investigation into the accident to see if whether rules for transportation of dangerous cargo was breached or whether there are insufficient regulations.
The article had alot of quotes from witnesses that set a dramatic scene of the amount of damage this causes. The lead was okay. Not very visual and it explains alot of the article in the lead. It doesn't really make up want to know more about what happened.
The article had alot of quotes from witnesses that set a dramatic scene of the amount of damage this causes. The lead was okay. Not very visual and it explains alot of the article in the lead. It doesn't really make up want to know more about what happened.
Marker not a Maker
A protein, C-reactive protein, that was thought to cause heart disease may be cleared. A study published by The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the protein, while it does have something to do with heart disease is not a cause of it but merely a marker. There were two things to prove their theory. One was that medicines that targeted CPR levels in hopes to reduce heart disease did not work, and the fact that people who develop more CPR are do not automatically develop heart disease.
This article was very well written, the lead made me want to read more about it. The second paragraph said that it was in fact related to heart disease which made me question the first paragraph that said it was not. However it still pulled me in. I also really enjoyed the reference to a fire drill in the5th paragraph. Clever.
This article was very well written, the lead made me want to read more about it. The second paragraph said that it was in fact related to heart disease which made me question the first paragraph that said it was not. However it still pulled me in. I also really enjoyed the reference to a fire drill in the5th paragraph. Clever.
New color, new edge
From blond to brunette, Disney star to rock star, Ashley Tisdale has seen it all. Her new hair color has brought out an edgier side that she wanted to express in her music. Her new cd 'Guilty Pleasures' shows her grown-up side instead of the bubbly character, Sharpay, in high school musical. She hopes to become an icon to teenage girls with her songs about survival and staying strong.
The lead shows Tisdale's personality and was short and very effective in opening the story. The story was short enough to provide information and does not go into as much informarion as to bore the reader. I thought this was a good way to keep off the topic of Michael Jackson who has exploded in music articles in the past week.
The lead shows Tisdale's personality and was short and very effective in opening the story. The story was short enough to provide information and does not go into as much informarion as to bore the reader. I thought this was a good way to keep off the topic of Michael Jackson who has exploded in music articles in the past week.
Goat One Minute, Hero the Next
The last time Casey McGehee misplayed a routine pop-up as he did in last nights game against the Mets, he was probably a 6 year-old eying up the treats after a tee ball game.
McGehee has been a savior for the Brewers since the season ending injury to Rickie Weeks. He is batting over .300 and showing real power. This has not been lost on Brewer fans who appreciate McGehee's work ethic and solid approach on offense and defense. Up until last night, all McGehee has heard was cheering from the Brewer faithful.
This all changed when a soft pop-up fell into and then immediately out of the glove of McGehee. Instead of three outs, the visiting Mets put together their first rally of the game. The very next batter hit a double scoring two runners. For the first time boos were directed towards Casey McGehee.
Redemption came quickly however. In the bottom of the sixth and with two outs, Prince Fielder was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Mets would rather face McGehee in this situation - thinking he was a better bet to make the third out. Fate would prove the Mets wrong.
In the sixth pitch of the at bat, McGehee rocked a 96-mph fastball into the Brewer bullpen for his first career grand slam, giving the Brewers all the runs they would need for victory. McGehee had his redemption and regained the love of the fans, who loudly demanded a curtain call after this dramatic moment.
Final score: Brewers 10 Mets 6.
Analysis of JSOnline article: There are 162 baseball games in a Major League season. What happened in last nights game between the Brewers and the Mets probably will not repeat itself for many seasons to come. Journal Sentinel writer Anthony Witrado correctly focused on the dramatic event of the evening - McGehee going from goat to hero all in the matter of one inning.
McGehee has been a savior for the Brewers since the season ending injury to Rickie Weeks. He is batting over .300 and showing real power. This has not been lost on Brewer fans who appreciate McGehee's work ethic and solid approach on offense and defense. Up until last night, all McGehee has heard was cheering from the Brewer faithful.
This all changed when a soft pop-up fell into and then immediately out of the glove of McGehee. Instead of three outs, the visiting Mets put together their first rally of the game. The very next batter hit a double scoring two runners. For the first time boos were directed towards Casey McGehee.
Redemption came quickly however. In the bottom of the sixth and with two outs, Prince Fielder was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Mets would rather face McGehee in this situation - thinking he was a better bet to make the third out. Fate would prove the Mets wrong.
In the sixth pitch of the at bat, McGehee rocked a 96-mph fastball into the Brewer bullpen for his first career grand slam, giving the Brewers all the runs they would need for victory. McGehee had his redemption and regained the love of the fans, who loudly demanded a curtain call after this dramatic moment.
Final score: Brewers 10 Mets 6.
Analysis of JSOnline article: There are 162 baseball games in a Major League season. What happened in last nights game between the Brewers and the Mets probably will not repeat itself for many seasons to come. Journal Sentinel writer Anthony Witrado correctly focused on the dramatic event of the evening - McGehee going from goat to hero all in the matter of one inning.
Explanation of Aesthetics at Disneyland
Abigail Zuger writes a review on the book "Healing Spaces" by Dr. Esther Sternberg. Zuger spends the entire article explaining what the book is about (healing patients by setting them in a surrounding that pleases their brain) and even points out that the book uses Disneyland as an example of aesthetically pleasing spaces, but then she ends the review by writing that the book was boring and would only interest those who are scientific or already interested in this field of study.
The lede was very good. It was very descriptive of a person unhappy with one surrounding and magically better with a different one and did a good job pulling the reader in. I think book reviews are a very good example of a time to use an alternative lead because books are supposed to have a different type of style than newspaper or magazine articles and the alternative lede shows that different style.
One criticism I have is that Zuger fails to explain some of the long, scientific words that she uses. I understand they are the words used in Sternberg's book, but since they are now used in this article, they should be defined. Also, She spends the whole article explaining the book and building it up, just to end it with one paragraph saying how boring it is. I thought this last paragraph was not incorporated very well into the rest of the article and needed to be because now it just sounds like an afterthought.
The lede was very good. It was very descriptive of a person unhappy with one surrounding and magically better with a different one and did a good job pulling the reader in. I think book reviews are a very good example of a time to use an alternative lead because books are supposed to have a different type of style than newspaper or magazine articles and the alternative lede shows that different style.
One criticism I have is that Zuger fails to explain some of the long, scientific words that she uses. I understand they are the words used in Sternberg's book, but since they are now used in this article, they should be defined. Also, She spends the whole article explaining the book and building it up, just to end it with one paragraph saying how boring it is. I thought this last paragraph was not incorporated very well into the rest of the article and needed to be because now it just sounds like an afterthought.
Doctor Fights Off Assailant
The Chicago Tribune reports a doctor was able to get away from an attacker Monday evening by grabbing the attackers knife and stabbing him. The 30-year-old doctor was alone in her office when a man came in looking for directions to another office. The man then displayed a knife and forced the doctor to the floor. Police say she was able to disarm the man and cut him before he fled. She had been punched during the incident and suffered a wound to her thigh.
I like the descriptive words in the lead, but I think it gets to be a bit long. I found myself losing track of the main point while sorting through the details. The rest of the story is informative, and appears to be another inverted pyramid story. There is a partial quote used in the story from the police officer, but I'm not sure if it had to be used. The officer doesn't seem to say anything new (since we already know the doctor disarmed the man) or interesting, so maybe it could have just been paraphrased and attributed to the officer.
I like the descriptive words in the lead, but I think it gets to be a bit long. I found myself losing track of the main point while sorting through the details. The rest of the story is informative, and appears to be another inverted pyramid story. There is a partial quote used in the story from the police officer, but I'm not sure if it had to be used. The officer doesn't seem to say anything new (since we already know the doctor disarmed the man) or interesting, so maybe it could have just been paraphrased and attributed to the officer.
Will the U.S. lose money on its investment in GM?
The Bush administration gave GM $20 billion in emergency loans in December 2008 and the Obama administration plans on giving GM another $30 billions as it comes out of bankrupcy court. In exchange, for this $50 billion, GM will owe the government about $6.7 billion in secured debt and about $2.1 billion in preferred shares and the government gets the 60 percent equity stake. Assuming the government is repaid the debt and preferred shares, the value of the company's common shares would then have to rise to roughly $68 billion to pay back the remaining $41 billion in direct GM investment. GM’s total value peaked at $56 billion in 2000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062904105_2.html?hpid=moreheadlines&sid=ST2009063000573
I have liked the ledes for virtually all of my Beat Blog articles. This is an exception. This article’s lede just doesn’t seem to do the article justice.
Also, this article doesn’t seem to be balanced. We are given to conclude that the government may not recoup the entire amount invested to date. Still, one piece of information is conspicuously absent. We know how high the value of GM stock would have to go for the government to recoup its investment. We know what GM’s all time high was in 2000. We are not told what GM’s value might be today. That it, how much might the government receive?
Monday, June 29, 2009
Train Accident in China
USA Today reports that a train accident in China left 3 people dead and 60 more injured. The collision between two passenger cars happened before dawn, and the railway minister is investigating.
This story was very brief, but very informative for the little amount of information provided.
This story was very brief, but very informative for the little amount of information provided.
Fighting HIV and AIDS
A coalition of major companies including, Facebook, Nokia, Pfizer, Nike, and The National Basketball Association will work in 3 cities to help stop the spread of HIV. These three cities include the District, New York and Oakland, California. This coalition will be able to help spread awarness better than the city administration because it can reach further into the communtiy. These three cities were chosen because they are amoung the top 20 cities affected by AIDS/HIV in America.
This article had an interesting lead. I would have done something completely differently if I were writing this story. It was not very interesting and I found the article to be more interesting than the lead made it out to be. It did not make me want to keep reading. However, the writer did use a quote in the third paragraph, and I feel that it was a very good use of the quote. It summed up what was going on and gave a sort of preview to what was coming later in the article.
This article had an interesting lead. I would have done something completely differently if I were writing this story. It was not very interesting and I found the article to be more interesting than the lead made it out to be. It did not make me want to keep reading. However, the writer did use a quote in the third paragraph, and I feel that it was a very good use of the quote. It summed up what was going on and gave a sort of preview to what was coming later in the article.
Unlock Your Car From Your Phone
This summer Zipcar, a car rental company, will be launching a iPhone application called Zipster; this app will allow costumers to locate, reserve and pay for the car. After the costumer has picked the car they are able to honk to horn and unlock the doors from the app.
Zipcar is making this possible by an electronic controller that is installed in their cars. With the app continuously updating security for Zipster to prevent unauthorized use.
Many new innovating uses for smartphones will be available to the market in the near future.
This beat was a great read and very interesting to see where and how far phones, especially the iPhone are going. The beat was also easy to follow because of the given information and the order of the article.
Zipcar is making this possible by an electronic controller that is installed in their cars. With the app continuously updating security for Zipster to prevent unauthorized use.
Many new innovating uses for smartphones will be available to the market in the near future.
This beat was a great read and very interesting to see where and how far phones, especially the iPhone are going. The beat was also easy to follow because of the given information and the order of the article.
NATO, Russia to resume military relationship
Russia and NATO have agreed to restart their relationship after a year of it ending because of the conflict in Georgia. Russia is not a member of NATO but is a member of the NATO-Russia Council which consults, cooridinates and reaches joint decisions and carries them out in regards to terrorism, cooperation on Afghanistan and military exercises. Relationships were strained between NATOand Russia over the 2008 breakaway of South Ossetia. It was the first time Russia sent troops abroad since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
It is a good article but if you don't have any previous knowledge of this situation it could be confusing but it also peaks your interest. I like how they use a quote in the lead. Also the word frozen in a good vision aide to this story.
It is a good article but if you don't have any previous knowledge of this situation it could be confusing but it also peaks your interest. I like how they use a quote in the lead. Also the word frozen in a good vision aide to this story.
BET Awards Pay Tribute to Michael Jackson
Sunday was BET's Award night where Jamie Foxx was the host. The Award show paid tribute to the late"King of Pop," including Jamie Foxx's intro number where he moon walked across the entire stage wearing a "Beat it" jacket and a white glove.
Jeremy Piven stated that, "If it wasn't for Michael Jackson, people like Justin Timberlake would be selling curly fries in the valley," the actor said. "I mean that with love."
Jackson's family attended the event and thanked BET and the stars for paying tribute to Michael.
The lead to this article was short and sweet, but it could've been better. It didn't make me want to read on at all. They could've used Jamie Foxx's intro as a attention grabber, but they didn't.
Jeremy Piven stated that, "If it wasn't for Michael Jackson, people like Justin Timberlake would be selling curly fries in the valley," the actor said. "I mean that with love."
Jackson's family attended the event and thanked BET and the stars for paying tribute to Michael.
The lead to this article was short and sweet, but it could've been better. It didn't make me want to read on at all. They could've used Jamie Foxx's intro as a attention grabber, but they didn't.
Manny Ramirez Fills The Stands in Single A
Playing for the Inland Empire 66ers - a team by baseball standards on the same level as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - banned slugger Manny Ramirez returns to the game.
The well known major leaguer is hardly tearing up the minor leagues. Sunday Ramirez was quiet at the plate going 0-2 against the always tough Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
Quakes starting pitcher Alexander Torres got the better of Ramirez striking him out twice on Sunday. In four games, Ramirez has two hits including one home run and has walked twice.
Ramirez has not spoken to the press but did comment to a relative on the 102 degree heat in San Bernardino. "It's too hot" Ramirez said.
The well known major leaguer is hardly tearing up the minor leagues. Sunday Ramirez was quiet at the plate going 0-2 against the always tough Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
Quakes starting pitcher Alexander Torres got the better of Ramirez striking him out twice on Sunday. In four games, Ramirez has two hits including one home run and has walked twice.
Ramirez has not spoken to the press but did comment to a relative on the 102 degree heat in San Bernardino. "It's too hot" Ramirez said.
Green Rock and Bowl
Peter Shapiro, an environmental advocate and musical entrepreneur, has built the environmentally-friendly club and bowling alley Brooklyn Bowl scheduled to open later this week. It has environmental efficiency? Cool, but will you rock to It? The "multi-million dollar" project is complete with a recycled-rubber stage, food catered by Blue Ribbon and a 16-lane bowling alley. Lights in the bathroom are motion-sensored, the wood is provided from well-managed forests and it was built according to standards of the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. Other clubs have adapted environmentally-conscious decisions in their designs, such as energy-efficient-lighting at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza and environmental footprint study at AEG Live, but no club or bowling alley comes as green as Brooklyn Bowl.
I was less than impressed with the choice of lead in this article. This idea was very interesting and the lead was very bland. The body of the article was very well put together and it made for an interesting read, but that might have been because it was such an interesting story to begin with!
I was less than impressed with the choice of lead in this article. This idea was very interesting and the lead was very bland. The body of the article was very well put together and it made for an interesting read, but that might have been because it was such an interesting story to begin with!
Pitchman's Death a Mystery
Billy Mays, best known for his energetic oxi-clean commercials, died Sunday morning in his sleep. An autopsy will be conducted Monday. Speculations about the cause of his death center around a rough landing he had on his flight home Saturday. Mays told one of his local TV stations that things were falling from the ceiling and something had hit his head, but he had not thought much of it. Saturday night, Mays told a friend that he was not feeling well.
The lede does a good job pulling people in by using describing words of Billy Mays' commercials. The headline is not quite as good; it suggests that the article is going to be about the autopsy when all that's mentioned is the date of the autopsy. I know this is becuase the autopsy has not been completed yet, but the headline should read something else because the article mainly talks about the events leading up to Mays death.
The lede does a good job pulling people in by using describing words of Billy Mays' commercials. The headline is not quite as good; it suggests that the article is going to be about the autopsy when all that's mentioned is the date of the autopsy. I know this is becuase the autopsy has not been completed yet, but the headline should read something else because the article mainly talks about the events leading up to Mays death.
GE finds a loophole
The article describes how GE, the largest industrial industry in the world found a way to take advantage of a program designed to support the banking industry. GE, like many other companies, has a finance subsidiary, GE Financial, to assist its customers when they purchase GE products and services. (Think GMAC or Chrysler Financial) GE Financial was allowed to apply for assistance from FDIC’s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program, or TLGP, because GE owns two small banking institutions in
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/28/AR2009062802955.html?nav=hcmodule&sub=AR&sid=ST2009062803183
The lede is a good new summary lead with an ironic twist: an industrial company has become the beneficiary of a rescue program for banks.
Is the story news worthy? I think so. Many taxpayers are interested in knowing that the goverrnment’s ‘bailout’ programs are actually being implemented and that they are really helping the economy. This article addresses these concerns. It also addresses another concern; many feel that the financial sector should be reformed. Some feel that GE should be either an industrial firm or financial firm (GE Financial brought in nearly half of GE’s earnings in the last five years), but not both.
Frantic 911 Call Leads Police to a Murder-Sucide
Fox News and The Associated Press report a husband and wife were found shot to death in their Connecticut home early Sunday morning. Police received a 911 call from a woman in the home involved in a domestic disturbance just before midnight Sunday. When police arrived on scene, they heard multiple gun shots and forced their way into the house. 43-year-old Alice Morrin and her 45-year-old husband James Morrin were found dead inside. Two children in the home were found safe. Autopsies have been planned for the couple.
The lead for this story was short, but used good description to set the scene for the whole story. Stating the call was "frantic" gives the reader the idea of urgency and severity. The rest of the story seems to be written in the inverted pyramid form. For short crime stories, I think this method works best as it's an easy way to organize points and give readers the information they want right away.
The lead for this story was short, but used good description to set the scene for the whole story. Stating the call was "frantic" gives the reader the idea of urgency and severity. The rest of the story seems to be written in the inverted pyramid form. For short crime stories, I think this method works best as it's an easy way to organize points and give readers the information they want right away.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Brazil Puts USA Soccer Dreams of Glory to Rest
People in this country may not be aware of the magnitude of the upset when USA beat Spain 2-0 at the Confederations Cup last Wednesday. It was bigger than the Miracle on Ice, Truman over Dewey, and David over Goliath.
Brazil's "Beautiful Game" came alive in the second half of Sunday's match ultimately beating USA 3-2 in the finals of the Confederations Cup.
True glory was so close as the U.S. team led a nervous looking Brazil 2-0 at halftime. With the start of the second half, things began to unravel. "We gave up the first goal so early in the second half," U.S. Coach Bob Bradley said.
While Brazil scored the deciding goal in the 84th minute, USA had already raised its international soccer reputation with a victory over Spain that no one expected. Brazil ended the USA dream, but not at the expense of a new regard for the USA game.
Brazil's "Beautiful Game" came alive in the second half of Sunday's match ultimately beating USA 3-2 in the finals of the Confederations Cup.
True glory was so close as the U.S. team led a nervous looking Brazil 2-0 at halftime. With the start of the second half, things began to unravel. "We gave up the first goal so early in the second half," U.S. Coach Bob Bradley said.
While Brazil scored the deciding goal in the 84th minute, USA had already raised its international soccer reputation with a victory over Spain that no one expected. Brazil ended the USA dream, but not at the expense of a new regard for the USA game.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Online television should be paid for
An ad-supported site Hulu allows free television to viewers as long as there's a connection. Comcast and Time Warner believe that "TV on the web should not be free," together they aim at convincing costumers to pay with TV Everywhere.
TV Everywhere plans to give costumers access to "premium" television through broadband, cell phone connections and cable. 5,000 costumers will test this new system next month, in hopes other networks will follow.
This was a great beat because it covered the networks point of view, was very informational and easy to follow. It also had a clever lead which helped me pick the beat.
TV Everywhere plans to give costumers access to "premium" television through broadband, cell phone connections and cable. 5,000 costumers will test this new system next month, in hopes other networks will follow.
This was a great beat because it covered the networks point of view, was very informational and easy to follow. It also had a clever lead which helped me pick the beat.
Chinese Government Gets Stricter on Internet
According to the New York Times, the Chinese government is making it harder to search for medical documents of a sexual nature. They're making it more difficult to search for anything remotely 'pornographic.' The government even put restrictions on Google, and broadcast on their television channel that Google was pornographic.
I thought the article was rather bland. The topic was somewhat interesting, but I think it went on for a bit too long and that helped to kill the interest.
I thought the article was rather bland. The topic was somewhat interesting, but I think it went on for a bit too long and that helped to kill the interest.
Early Autism Diagnosis
Branden Nolden was diagnosed at at 3 with autism, however if his family had the proper resources earlier he would have not missed a critical window of development. His story is the same of many families who cannot afford the same care that wealthier families have. The children in these families are missing critical times of development for their children. Since this is big problem as 55 to 66 in 10,000 children are diagnosed with autism every year. Groups are now working to make better resources available for poorer families.
I really enjoyed how this article started. It told the story about a boy who received a late diagnosis for autism. It brought the story down to a level most people can understand. It did not just flat out tell you what autism is, but rather it announced the problems and hardships autism can bring onto a family and the child. The lead was long and was in a multi-paragraph format, however I think it worked well for this particular story because it gave the reader time to get to now Branden and his story. I think the fact that the story was brought back to Branden and his mother in the ending tied the whole story together and made it flow nicely.
I really enjoyed how this article started. It told the story about a boy who received a late diagnosis for autism. It brought the story down to a level most people can understand. It did not just flat out tell you what autism is, but rather it announced the problems and hardships autism can bring onto a family and the child. The lead was long and was in a multi-paragraph format, however I think it worked well for this particular story because it gave the reader time to get to now Branden and his story. I think the fact that the story was brought back to Branden and his mother in the ending tied the whole story together and made it flow nicely.
Bruno's offensive material no longer appropriate
Sacha Baron Cohen, most notoriously known for creating movies out of his skits from Da Ali G Show, had to make a last-minute cut to his movie to save grief to Michael jackson fans everywhere. Jackson's older sister Latoya Jackson's scene in Cohens latest film 'Bruno' was cut for the Thursday night Hollywood premiere. The movie mentions Cohen interviewing Jackson and stealing her digital assistant to get her brother Michael's number. The interview was apparently so profane that Latoya walked out mid-interview. 'Bruno' opens July 10 without any link to the music icon Michael Jackson. A statement saying the scene was removed out of respect to the Jackson family was issued by Universal Studios.
The lead was very informative, yet a little wordy. I do feel that it contained all the necessary information so I did not mind the length. The transition from the lead to the second graf was very smooth, but again I felt the second graf could have been split up as it was a bit long.
In music news it was hard to find anything without the subject of Michael Jackson's death. A tragic loss, but certainly taking over news coverage everywhere. I decided to explore this with a new angle that probably relates more to movies than my music blog, however Michael Jackson was a music icon so i thought it was still appropriate.
The lead was very informative, yet a little wordy. I do feel that it contained all the necessary information so I did not mind the length. The transition from the lead to the second graf was very smooth, but again I felt the second graf could have been split up as it was a bit long.
In music news it was hard to find anything without the subject of Michael Jackson's death. A tragic loss, but certainly taking over news coverage everywhere. I decided to explore this with a new angle that probably relates more to movies than my music blog, however Michael Jackson was a music icon so i thought it was still appropriate.
Seniors held over kidnap of investment banker
Five people are in custody in Germany after allegedly kidanapping and beating a man who helped them invest large sums of money in overseas organizations. Two of the suspects kidnapped him in Speyer, Germany. They tied him up with electricl tape and stuffed him in the trunk. He was taked to a house in Chieming, Bavaria where two of the suspects lived. He was locked in a cellar and wasn't allowed any contact with the outside world. He had one failed escape attempt and alerted somone to his situation when he was granted a phone call to try and raise the money. Two of the suspects wanted 2.4 million, one wanted $662,000 and another couple wanted $300,000.
The lead is a little wording and the article explains everything in a good manner. The graf is well put together but it doesn't explain how they lost the money of what exactly are the charges besides the kidnapping one.
The lead is a little wording and the article explains everything in a good manner. The graf is well put together but it doesn't explain how they lost the money of what exactly are the charges besides the kidnapping one.
Jive-Talking Transformers are Raising Race Issues
In "Transformers: revenge of the Fallen" Skids and Mudflap, twin robots disguised as compact Chevys, constantly brawl and bicker in rap-inspired street slang. They're forced to acknowledge that they can't read and one has a gold tooth.
These two characters are creating more of a stereotype battle than Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode I-- The Phantom Menace." Even though critics are saying that these two Michael Bay creations have racist tendencies, he disagrees, "I don't know if it's stereotypes — they are robots, by the way. These are the voice actors. This is kind of the direction they were taking the characters and we went with it."
I thought this article was informative, but I think that they were just desperate for material. Sometimes people do just read too far into things and stir up controversy for no reason.
His lead at 37 words is very lengthy, but it gets the point across for what the article will contain.
These two characters are creating more of a stereotype battle than Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode I-- The Phantom Menace." Even though critics are saying that these two Michael Bay creations have racist tendencies, he disagrees, "I don't know if it's stereotypes — they are robots, by the way. These are the voice actors. This is kind of the direction they were taking the characters and we went with it."
I thought this article was informative, but I think that they were just desperate for material. Sometimes people do just read too far into things and stir up controversy for no reason.
His lead at 37 words is very lengthy, but it gets the point across for what the article will contain.
Grief for a Superstar
Michael Jackson's death brought a lot of grief to the entire world. Report Sharon Otterman quotes many people's grieving statement for the late pop star in a tribute to the man who made the moonwalk famous.
Although Otterman uses a heavy amount of quotations in this article, it's effective. Almost every paragraph is quote from a famous person, but it shows just how important Michael Jackson was to our culture and also to the cultures of other countries. Otterman also took the time to explain different services that were going to be held around the world, many of which include dancing to Jackson's best hits like "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."
Her lede is very affective. "Michael Jackson’s brand of pop knew no borders and needed no translation, linking listeners around the world through the accessible corridors of rhythm, beat and dance." This lede shows the importance of Michael Jackson and her article by connecting all the cultures she writes about. It also pulls the reader in to learn more about a musical icon.
Overall I thought this was a good article in spite of the excessive use of quotation. I find it odd that so many people are coming out now and saying how much respect they have for him and when he was alive all you heard were the negatives even though almost everybody loved his music.
Although Otterman uses a heavy amount of quotations in this article, it's effective. Almost every paragraph is quote from a famous person, but it shows just how important Michael Jackson was to our culture and also to the cultures of other countries. Otterman also took the time to explain different services that were going to be held around the world, many of which include dancing to Jackson's best hits like "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."
Her lede is very affective. "Michael Jackson’s brand of pop knew no borders and needed no translation, linking listeners around the world through the accessible corridors of rhythm, beat and dance." This lede shows the importance of Michael Jackson and her article by connecting all the cultures she writes about. It also pulls the reader in to learn more about a musical icon.
Overall I thought this was a good article in spite of the excessive use of quotation. I find it odd that so many people are coming out now and saying how much respect they have for him and when he was alive all you heard were the negatives even though almost everybody loved his music.
Reducing foreclosures is difficult when unemployment is the cause.
President Obama introduced a program to help 4 million borrowers having problems with mortgage payments. To date, only 200,000 mortgages have been modified. The article doesn’t discuss why more borrowers haven’t come forward for assistance. But it does say that there is a whole new group of borrowers who need assistance but can’t get it from this program – the unemployed.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124597797525957807.html
Wonderful news summary lede.
The second graf also introduced the new problem. A while back, the biggest problem borrowers had has the way the mortgage was written – if it could be modified, everything would be fine. But now, the problem is that the borrowers are unemployed and modifying the mortgage note won’t help.
This article is news worthy. It updates our knowledge of what is going on in the economy, and perhaps why our efforts to control the economy are too optimistic or short-sighted.
Stimulus spending slower than we’d like.
In February the President signed a $787 billion stimulus bill. By June 25th, $152 billion had been allocated. In June weekly allocations were under $6 billion. At this rate, spending the remaining $600 billion will take more than 100 weeks. Also, it seems that many of the easy outlets have already been used, so allocations in the future should be more difficult to find.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-25-stimulus_N.htm
The article’s lead captured/summarized the article well – we are trying to stimulate the economy but doing so more slowly than we’d like. The President vowed to speed up the spending but spending has actually dropped. The rest is all details.
I like the news worthy question. I think this article is. It’s only 378 words but it keeps the public updated on what is happening with their tax money. It also points out that it isn’t easy for most people to go out and spend $787 billion dollars in a hurry. Some things just take time.
Inmate Shoots Officer
The Associate Press reports an inmate, who escaped from a Mississippi prison, shot and wounded a Nashville police officer following a routine traffic stop. Inmate Joseph Jackson was taken into custody shortly after the shooting Thursday. Sergeant Mark Chesnut was taken to a hospital for surgery, and is listed in serious condition. Jackson had escaped Thursday after going to a doctor's appointment in Greenwood.
This is a very short story, but for a hard news brief, I think it's well done. It's clear and to the point, but there is still enough information to make the story. This seems to be a form of an inverted pyramid story, but I don't think a lot of information could be cut, if needed.
This is a very short story, but for a hard news brief, I think it's well done. It's clear and to the point, but there is still enough information to make the story. This seems to be a form of an inverted pyramid story, but I don't think a lot of information could be cut, if needed.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Farrah Fawcett Loses Her Courageous Battle With Cancer
Today, as I am sure everyone has heard, Farrah Fawcett died at the age of 62 after a 3-year battle with anal cancer.
Farrah was a beloved actress and sex symbol from the 1970s. According to CNN.com, "Fawcett's death was confirmed by Paul Bloch, one of her representatives at Rogers and Cowan, an entertainment public relations firm."
This article is well written, but the lead is lengthy. There are words used to describe her career could've been post-poned until after the lead was formed. There are about twelve words that could be eliminated, because they make the lead very wordy. This article goes on to explain the length and successes of Fawcett's career and how she had been documenting her courageous battle which was aired on May 15th as "Farrah's Story."
Farrah was a beloved actress and sex symbol from the 1970s. According to CNN.com, "Fawcett's death was confirmed by Paul Bloch, one of her representatives at Rogers and Cowan, an entertainment public relations firm."
This article is well written, but the lead is lengthy. There are words used to describe her career could've been post-poned until after the lead was formed. There are about twelve words that could be eliminated, because they make the lead very wordy. This article goes on to explain the length and successes of Fawcett's career and how she had been documenting her courageous battle which was aired on May 15th as "Farrah's Story."
Beijing Suburb Aspires to be String Capitol
The New York Times reported that a suburb of Beijing, Donggaocun, is trying to become the new stringed instrument capitol of the world. The town is home to a manufacturing plant of cheap violins, cellos, etc. Many residents of various ages are learning to play violin.
The lead is AWESOME. I loved it. I thought it was a good story as well. There is a lot of information and it's all tied together nicely. I would have otherwise never known about any part of this story.
The lead is AWESOME. I loved it. I thought it was a good story as well. There is a lot of information and it's all tied together nicely. I would have otherwise never known about any part of this story.
Lefty's Valiant March
While It was Lucas Glover who won this years US Open, it will be remembered as Phil "Lefty" Mickelson's tournament.
The New York crowd were in full voice and full support of Mickelson who had just weeks before learned that his wife had breast cancer. Mickelson battled the course, the rain, and his own emotions - and nearly won this prestigious tournament.
Chants of "Let's go, Phil! Let's go, Phil!" still echo through the fairways days after the championship finally ended on Monday.
Sports often take a back seat to life. Mickelson dignified both his wife and his sport by simply giving his best effort.
The New York crowd were in full voice and full support of Mickelson who had just weeks before learned that his wife had breast cancer. Mickelson battled the course, the rain, and his own emotions - and nearly won this prestigious tournament.
Chants of "Let's go, Phil! Let's go, Phil!" still echo through the fairways days after the championship finally ended on Monday.
Sports often take a back seat to life. Mickelson dignified both his wife and his sport by simply giving his best effort.
Family Time Cut by Internet
The Annenberg Center for the Digital Future of the University of Southern California found that 28% of Americans interviewed last year said they spend less family time, but not less with friends. "As the social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are booming along with the importance people place on them, said Michael Gilbert a senior at the center, this way people spend less time with family members."
Other new technologies are also changing how families interact, cell phones give more privacy and help parents keep track of their children rather than landlines. The abundance of TVs gives the families freedom to watch shows individually instead of the traditional way with everyone in one room.
The Internet may disrupt personal boundaries because it's more attention demanding than other technologies. Families with more income are more likely for boundaries because they can afford many of the new technologies and families with less income many still find time for the family.
This was a well written beat, very factual which made the story hard to not believe and agree with. It was a medium length so it was an easy read with important information most people can relate too. I enjoy beats like this that make me wonder if my family will become less involved with each other.
Other new technologies are also changing how families interact, cell phones give more privacy and help parents keep track of their children rather than landlines. The abundance of TVs gives the families freedom to watch shows individually instead of the traditional way with everyone in one room.
The Internet may disrupt personal boundaries because it's more attention demanding than other technologies. Families with more income are more likely for boundaries because they can afford many of the new technologies and families with less income many still find time for the family.
This was a well written beat, very factual which made the story hard to not believe and agree with. It was a medium length so it was an easy read with important information most people can relate too. I enjoy beats like this that make me wonder if my family will become less involved with each other.
Retrial for suspects in Politkovskaya murder case
The Russian supreme court overturned a not guilty verdict and ordered a retrial for the suspects who are charged with the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya. The three men were acquitted in February for the October2006 killing of the journalist. The fourth suspect will be retried for the acquittal of seperate charges of atempted to extort money from a related suspect in the case. The trial last nearly a year and the jury ruled there was not enough evidence against the suspects. Neither the assassin or the person who gave the order to kill her were not on trial and believed to be in hiding or unidentified.
The article is done very nicely. The lead is good, short and to the point except for the end when it states "a defense attorney said." That part is a little confusing to me. It is a very interesting article to me and makes me want to research it some more and find out more about Anna Politkovskaya.
The article is done very nicely. The lead is good, short and to the point except for the end when it states "a defense attorney said." That part is a little confusing to me. It is a very interesting article to me and makes me want to research it some more and find out more about Anna Politkovskaya.
A depressed economy leads many to moonlighting
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-06-23-moonlighting-workers-jobs-economy_N.htm
The articles lead is four sentences, much longer than the one sentence leads we have been trying to create. I would classify the lead as an alternative lead because it tells the story of one woman’s moonlighting rather than summarizing one or two aspects of the entire story.
The author wrote clearly and made effective use of quotes. Quotes from those moonlighting, representatives of staffing agencies, research firms, and job coaches demonstrate that the author examined moonlighting from a variety of points of view.
I can’t say that balanced reporting is relevant in this article as it doesn’t discuss any issues. The author demonstrates with quotes and statistics that moonlighing has become more prevalent and goes on to discuss various facets of moonlighting.
The article is organized in an interesting way – flipping from anectdoal household information to national level observations and back. I’m sure this could have been organized many different ways, but the readability of the article did not suffer from its organization.
The article is newsworthy. Readers learn how many families are dealing with reduced household income, namely, reducing expenditures and getting a second or even a third job. Information like this can give inspiration to households in similar straits.
FED keeps interest rates low
This is a type of article that I do not appreciate. One would think that the article was about the FEDs interest rate adjustments. It is, but thrown in are references to just about any economic figures you can think of: unemployment, inflation, growth, orders for durable goods, consumer prices, and on and on.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-06-24-fed-interest-rates-decision_N.htm
The lead was informative but by no means attention grabbing.
The writing is clear but, as mentioned above, the organization is lacking. It is more like a string of individual news items all thrown together in one article.
Was the reporting balanced? Well, since this article didn’t have a pro and a con or any other sided that could be balanced, I’d say the question isn’t relevant here.
The story is newsworthy. This information is essential for many businesses who need to know if the FED will be putting upward, downward, or no pressure on interest rates.
President Obama’s recommendation: overhaul the financial system
The Economist published this 900-word summary of and commentary on President Obama’s 88-page white paper, released on June 17th, on reforming the
http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13856191
This article’s alternative lead began with a quote and then added, “If ever there was a week when financial regulation set pulses racing, this was surely it.” At 48 words it would be a bit long for a summary new lead, but I believe it suited as an alternative lead.
Only one quote was used; it was probably included only because it was amusing. After all, the goal of this article was to inform the readers what The Economist thought of the white paper, not to report on what people felt about it.
This article is definitely newsworthy. This report is the basis of what Mr. Obama will be asking Congress to do to in the coming months to reform the regulations of our financial system.
Some Chrysler dealers still having difficulty obtaining credit
This Washington Post web-site update reveals that about 3.5 percent of Chrysler’s 2,400 remaining dealerships are having difficulties rolling over their debt. During bankrupcy, Chrysler eliminated the weakest of its dealerships. Also, Chrysler Financial, the automaker’s financing subsidiary was eliminated. Chrysler dealerships using Chrysler Financial were told they could apply to GMAC, GMs financial subsidiary which had received billions in government aid, for financing. Recently, about 80 dealerships were informed they did not meet the GMAC requirements for financing but that GMAC would work with them to help them meet GMAC requirements.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062501772.html?hpid=topnews
This article has a good 30-word summary news lead. A lot of good information in one sentence.
Three quotes were used. I think that one was very useful explaining the situation of some Chrysler dealerships. The other two don’t really seem to contribute anything to the story.
I find the story newsworthy. It gives the public an update on what is happening to Chrysler dealerships now that Chrysler is no longer headline news. Moreover, at least from my point of view, it points out that 96.5 percent of Chrysler dealerships are finding necessary financing – and 3.5 percent are having difficulties which may or may not be overcome.
Balanced reporting? Both my headline and the article’s headline emphasize the 3.5 percent rather than the 96.5 percent who have come through Chrysler’s bankrupcy in good financial shape. I have often been mildly critical of reporters for emphasizing the negative rather than the positive. But now, as a journalism student, I can, perhaps, point out that the reporting is unbalanced.
Melodic fit
Ever listen to a song and not understand what the singer is saying? Song lyrics that make you go hmm... are sometimes just misheard, but occassionally there's a tune that just does not make sense. Even music legends, such as Paul Mccartney are guilty of placing words where they dont belong just to fit the tune. McCartney's, Live and Let Die single incorporates the word "in" three times in a ten-word sentence. The love song You are So Beautiful places emphasis on the words To Me after the title words, which really isn't that much of a compliment if you think about it. So I guess its just personal opinion to let the catchy beat sacrifice the song's word selections.
The lead was a little lengthy and the writer seemed a little too caught up in her own personal opinion, which seemed to distract from the subject itself. Later on in the story, it became biased to what songs and artists she liked. It seemed as though she was belittling Britney Spears compared to Steve Miller Band, which she seemed to like and thought that their use of made-up words was "OK." This doesn't really follow the format of a breaking news story, but that is probably because a piece on made-up and misheard song lyrics does not usually appear on the front page of a newspaper.
The lead was a little lengthy and the writer seemed a little too caught up in her own personal opinion, which seemed to distract from the subject itself. Later on in the story, it became biased to what songs and artists she liked. It seemed as though she was belittling Britney Spears compared to Steve Miller Band, which she seemed to like and thought that their use of made-up words was "OK." This doesn't really follow the format of a breaking news story, but that is probably because a piece on made-up and misheard song lyrics does not usually appear on the front page of a newspaper.
Just Six Minutes
The National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan has performed tests recently, that may prove you can get fit by exercising for just 6 minutes a day. The catch? The six minutes have to be intense. They put rats through a series of swimming tests to prove this. Another researcher, Martin Gibala, PhD, chairman of the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, also did research on this by testing healthy college students. He came up with similar results. The catch? The six minutes have to be intense.
The lead to this story was boring. It did not draw the reader in at all. I think the writer could have done a much better job with this. She did however have a good ending, because she used the research done with college students, which will make college students happy because many become extra health conscious when they get to college. The very last sentence and the quote she chose to use also ends the story on a good note because a majority of Americans find them selves in the "I'm to busy to exercise for hours" situation.
The lead to this story was boring. It did not draw the reader in at all. I think the writer could have done a much better job with this. She did however have a good ending, because she used the research done with college students, which will make college students happy because many become extra health conscious when they get to college. The very last sentence and the quote she chose to use also ends the story on a good note because a majority of Americans find them selves in the "I'm to busy to exercise for hours" situation.
Children in Peril, or Parents in Peril?
Jodi Picoult's novels all have a common theme, children-in-peril. While Jodi's books are wildly popular, especially among parents, they do lead to the visions of one's own child being hurt, abused or used. Due to the new movie coming out based on Picoult's book "My Sister's Keeper," Ginia Bellafante wrote an article concerning the content of the author's novels and how these books affect parents. In her interviews with Picoult, Ms. Bellafante found that she does extensive research on the subject of each of her books and claims that no matter what is written, there are some things a parent just cannot prepare for. Despite the sometimes grotesque happenings in Jodi Picoult's novels, they are still widely read and enjoyed by teenagers and parents alike.
Ginia Bellafante's lede is quite long and includes a list which is something we were told to avoid at all costs; however, I believe the list is helpful in portraying what the article is about by also showing what kind of things happen in Picoult's books. The explanation of the list precedes the list itself, so the order is okay. Other than that, the lede is somewhat mundane and could be spiced up a bit.
Ginia Bellafante's lede is quite long and includes a list which is something we were told to avoid at all costs; however, I believe the list is helpful in portraying what the article is about by also showing what kind of things happen in Picoult's books. The explanation of the list precedes the list itself, so the order is okay. Other than that, the lede is somewhat mundane and could be spiced up a bit.
Child Shot in Chicago; Family Mourns Loss
A family is mourning the loss of one of their own after a random shooting in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune reports nine-year-old Chastity Turner was shot Wednesday night while washing the family's pit bull terriers with her father at the Englewood apartment building . Witnesses said a light green van approached the area around 7pm and began firing. Chastity's father and and his two friends were also shot, but not killed. Police recovered the van used in the shooting, but have not located the shooter(s).
Even though this description highlights the main points of the shooting, the story itself is a touching reminder of the impact a death like this has on family member and a community. The lead is a good, shocking alternative lead. It starts the story from the grandmother's thoughts of young children being shot, and hits the reader with the realization it was her granddaughter that was taken. It also includes a quote, which is short, precise, and adds impact to the story.
Even though this description highlights the main points of the shooting, the story itself is a touching reminder of the impact a death like this has on family member and a community. The lead is a good, shocking alternative lead. It starts the story from the grandmother's thoughts of young children being shot, and hits the reader with the realization it was her granddaughter that was taken. It also includes a quote, which is short, precise, and adds impact to the story.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Swine Flu May Have Started in Asia
According to the New York Times, recent studies have shown that the N1H1 virus, also known as swine flu, may have originated on Asian swine farms, not Mexican ones. The virus would have possibly been transported by a human to North America from there.
I thought this was an incredibly informative article, however a bit bland. It's definitely not a feature article, and talks mostly about the scientific process researchers went through to come up with this theory. The lead is very blunt and gets straight to the point.
I thought this was an incredibly informative article, however a bit bland. It's definitely not a feature article, and talks mostly about the scientific process researchers went through to come up with this theory. The lead is very blunt and gets straight to the point.
Vulnerable Account Questions
A study by Microsoft Research shows how easy these secret account questions can be to answer. A fifth of the time 32 Web mail users were able to correctly answer each others questions allowing access to accounts. Microsoft suggests confiding a friend to vouch for you in case your account becomes locked.
Email accounts can allow hackers to other accounts such as eBay, through password reminders. The hacker can then make purchases from these accounts because most email providers have secret questions leading to accounts.
Stuart Schechter and Rob Reeder from Microsoft proposed that users can select "trustees" who would receive an email with a "recovery code" that the user must collect to unlock their account.
This was a well written and easy to follow beat, medium in length with short breaks for the easy read. It had little repetition but I believe that it's importance needs to be stressed.
Email accounts can allow hackers to other accounts such as eBay, through password reminders. The hacker can then make purchases from these accounts because most email providers have secret questions leading to accounts.
Stuart Schechter and Rob Reeder from Microsoft proposed that users can select "trustees" who would receive an email with a "recovery code" that the user must collect to unlock their account.
This was a well written and easy to follow beat, medium in length with short breaks for the easy read. It had little repetition but I believe that it's importance needs to be stressed.
iPhones for $179
The newest versions of the iPhone with contract are $199 or $299 depending on memory size. The $179 comes from the parts, memory and manufacturing that it takes to build an iPhone.
This was a short beat but I was very interested because iPhones have always been something I thought was expensive to make and they're not. Although iPhones are great they seem hyped up now and not that special.
This was a short beat but I was very interested because iPhones have always been something I thought was expensive to make and they're not. Although iPhones are great they seem hyped up now and not that special.
No NBA For Jordan's Son
Jeff Jordan is officially leaving Illinois after playing for two seasons. He plans to focus on his studies and leave the game behind him.
“I have come to the point where I’m ready to focus on life after basketball,” Jordan said.
Though the 6-1, 185-pound guard didn’t get an abundant amount of playing time, he was expected to play more in his upcoming junior year. Jordan played 5.3 minutes per game his freshman year, and 8.4 minutes as a sophomore.
Playing in his father’s shadow, it’s hard to compete with the best basketball player of all time. Jeff wasn’t heavily recruited but will be missed by his team
“He brought a great work ethic to the gym,” said Coach Weber. “Jordan will be missed.”
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/9725392/Jordan%27s-son-ready-for-%27life-after-basketball%27 I would put the link on the bold word, but it isn't allowing me to.
“I have come to the point where I’m ready to focus on life after basketball,” Jordan said.
Though the 6-1, 185-pound guard didn’t get an abundant amount of playing time, he was expected to play more in his upcoming junior year. Jordan played 5.3 minutes per game his freshman year, and 8.4 minutes as a sophomore.
Playing in his father’s shadow, it’s hard to compete with the best basketball player of all time. Jeff wasn’t heavily recruited but will be missed by his team
“He brought a great work ethic to the gym,” said Coach Weber. “Jordan will be missed.”
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/9725392/Jordan%27s-son-ready-for-%27life-after-basketball%27 I would put the link on the bold word, but it isn't allowing me to.
French parliament to consider burka ban
The French National Assembly announced Tuesday it would create an inquiry whether women in France should be allowed to wear a burka in public places. A panel will investigate whether it is a threat to the secular nature of th French constitution. This panel was created after President Nicolas Sarkozy stated that the Muslim garment was "not welcomed" in France. The French parliament has passed legislation banned Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in state schools that results in widespread protests. This issue is debated alot in France because of a large Muslim population. Some people want to ban the burkas all together because it is degrading to women and strips them of their dignity.
The article is put together nicely but it repeats itself alot but I like how it different sides of the argument and at the end it states that another country has tried to ban burkas in the past but failed.
The article is put together nicely but it repeats itself alot but I like how it different sides of the argument and at the end it states that another country has tried to ban burkas in the past but failed.
There is no such thing as free music
Downloaders are paying big bucks for their seemingly free music. Music labels win $2 million in web case for a user violating copyright laws. The woman was accused of exchanging music over the Kazaa internet service. Jammie Thomas-Rasset of Brainerd Minnesota was sentenced to pay a fine of $80,000 for each of the 24 songs she had available for downloaders to download for free. This is a significant rise from the first trial in 2007 where the fine was only $9,250 per song.
The lead was very informative, but it was a little too wordy. It was a good summary lead and it contained all the essential information. I do think it could have gone without the part that tells us who owned The Universal Music Group in order to make it easier to read and simpler.
The lead was very informative, but it was a little too wordy. It was a good summary lead and it contained all the essential information. I do think it could have gone without the part that tells us who owned The Universal Music Group in order to make it easier to read and simpler.
Joe Brooks to "Light Up" the Courtroom
Joe Brooks, writer of the song "You Light Up My Life," was officially accused of rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, forcible touching, assault, grand larceny and criminal mischief on Tuesday, June 23. The songwriter would allegedly invite woman to New York for audition, use date rape drugs in the wine he offered them, and then sexually abuse them. Brooks claims not guilty and is due back in court on Thursday, June 25 for his trial.
The lead for this story follows all the rules. It catches your attention right away because the first thing is "Oscar-winning songwriter" which pulls the reader in out of interest for celebrities. The lead then goes on to point out the unusual way in which the songwriter what select his sexual victims, a good way to keep people interested because it's not just another rape story.
The lead for this story follows all the rules. It catches your attention right away because the first thing is "Oscar-winning songwriter" which pulls the reader in out of interest for celebrities. The lead then goes on to point out the unusual way in which the songwriter what select his sexual victims, a good way to keep people interested because it's not just another rape story.
Toss it or Save it?
Is it worth the expenses to save your children's umbilical cord blood? Companies that store this blood say yes, however doctor's say it is not worth the time. They say that even if your child is diagnosed with a disease, the cells in the blood will be infected to. The only reason to save this blood is if the child has a sick sibling. While others say that it is not just in hopes to save their children that parents should save the cord blood, but in hopes that science is always progressing and one day it could lead to new advances.
The lead of this story drew me in. It was good, starting with a situation that is all over the news, all the time. Stemcells. Then it followed with a quote that backed up one side. Then stated the other side's opinon. This is how the story continued. It was basically an argument back and forth between the yes and no sides of stemcell research. It was nothing new, but was still filled with good information for those of you who are just getting into the great stem cell debate.
The lead of this story drew me in. It was good, starting with a situation that is all over the news, all the time. Stemcells. Then it followed with a quote that backed up one side. Then stated the other side's opinon. This is how the story continued. It was basically an argument back and forth between the yes and no sides of stemcell research. It was nothing new, but was still filled with good information for those of you who are just getting into the great stem cell debate.
"Transformers" Fails to Impress Critics
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" premiered last night in theaters. This film created a lot of buzz as one of the potential blockbusters of the year. It was in a category with Twilight: New Moon, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
According to Tom Charity, at 149 minutes "Transformers" falls flat. He states, "Combat scenes are a bewildering blur of crunching metal. On top of that, the humans are essentially bystanders and onlookers here, so that LaBeouf's primary contribution to the fighting is to run away, duck and cover. It's the same deal for Megan Fox, only in lingering slow motion."
He also places a lot of blame on director, Michael Bay for not blowing things up in the manner that he is famous for. Aparently there isn't much to help the viewer distinguish between an Autobot (good) and a Decepticon (bad).
I thought his lead was good, but it could've been better. he used an alliteration, but it would've been more effective to use a catchy phrase to describe why the movie failed to make its mark. The lead is only 22 words, but for going over the 18-20 range, it could've been better. I also didn't like how Tom Charity kept bashing director, Michael Bay. I know he is the director, but why go into such detail of how big of a failure he is? It made me want to stop reading.
According to Tom Charity, at 149 minutes "Transformers" falls flat. He states, "Combat scenes are a bewildering blur of crunching metal. On top of that, the humans are essentially bystanders and onlookers here, so that LaBeouf's primary contribution to the fighting is to run away, duck and cover. It's the same deal for Megan Fox, only in lingering slow motion."
He also places a lot of blame on director, Michael Bay for not blowing things up in the manner that he is famous for. Aparently there isn't much to help the viewer distinguish between an Autobot (good) and a Decepticon (bad).
I thought his lead was good, but it could've been better. he used an alliteration, but it would've been more effective to use a catchy phrase to describe why the movie failed to make its mark. The lead is only 22 words, but for going over the 18-20 range, it could've been better. I also didn't like how Tom Charity kept bashing director, Michael Bay. I know he is the director, but why go into such detail of how big of a failure he is? It made me want to stop reading.
Missing Girl Found at Isolated Farm
CNN reports police were able to find a missing Ohio girl along with her mom and a sex offender after a tip from the farm they were staying at. The girl, Haylee, had been missing for almost a month. The ranch, in San Diego County, California, was raided Tuesday and both adults were apprehended without incident. Ranch members said the girl didn't raise any suspicions for a couple weeks, and it wasn't until a former guest saw a billboard asking for help to find Haylee, her mom, and the man that the ranch investigated.
I like the lead in this story. The words used are very descriptive and help to paint the picture of how the story will proceed. The lead is under 30 words, making it precise and easy for the reader to understand.
The rest of the story flows well, and brings in a personal touch when talking to a member at the ranch. Due to the laid back nature of the ranch, it shows how these three were able to hide without being detected.
I like the lead in this story. The words used are very descriptive and help to paint the picture of how the story will proceed. The lead is under 30 words, making it precise and easy for the reader to understand.
The rest of the story flows well, and brings in a personal touch when talking to a member at the ranch. Due to the laid back nature of the ranch, it shows how these three were able to hide without being detected.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
John and Kate Take Hiatus
John and Kate Gosselin announced their split after a one-hour special of their show "John & Kate Plus 8" last night. Kate filed for divorce from John after 10 years of marriage. They both insist that everything they do is for their kids.
TLC also announced that the show will be taking a 6-week hiatus so that the family can deal with this split and take time to regroup. TLC is also working closely with John and Kate to determine how/if the show will continue.
As much as John and Kate have been in the tabloids lately, I found this article to be informing and to the point. No one was placing blame, just the media trying to inform its publics. The lead was slightly long at 34 words, but I felt that they went to that length in order to capture the reader's attention. If they had not quoted the network, the lead wouldn't have been as long, but I don't think it would've been as effective either.
TLC also announced that the show will be taking a 6-week hiatus so that the family can deal with this split and take time to regroup. TLC is also working closely with John and Kate to determine how/if the show will continue.
As much as John and Kate have been in the tabloids lately, I found this article to be informing and to the point. No one was placing blame, just the media trying to inform its publics. The lead was slightly long at 34 words, but I felt that they went to that length in order to capture the reader's attention. If they had not quoted the network, the lead wouldn't have been as long, but I don't think it would've been as effective either.
MLB Taps New Pitcher
President Barack Obama is ready to take the mound for the first time.
After turning down many requests to throw out ceremonial first pitches, Obama will be in attendance at the 80th All-Star Game on July 14 in St. Louis.
Obama will be the fourth president to throw out the first picth at an All-Star Game.
"Major Leauge Baseball is truly honored," said baseball comminsionor Bud Selig.
However, this will not be the first time Obama has hit the hill. As a US Senator, Obama threw out a first pitch at White Sox A.L. championship game in 2005.
After turning down many requests to throw out ceremonial first pitches, Obama will be in attendance at the 80th All-Star Game on July 14 in St. Louis.
Obama will be the fourth president to throw out the first picth at an All-Star Game.
"Major Leauge Baseball is truly honored," said baseball comminsionor Bud Selig.
However, this will not be the first time Obama has hit the hill. As a US Senator, Obama threw out a first pitch at White Sox A.L. championship game in 2005.
North Korean Nuclear Paranoia Continues
The New York Times reported that a U.S. Navy destroyer is tailing a North Korean cargo ship that is suspected to be carrying prohibited materials. If the cargo ship is intercepted, North Korea said it would take it as a sign of war and act accordingly. However, the UN has a new resolution to stop the North's military shipments.
This was a very informative article. The lead was simple and lead into the story very nicely. The story has a lot of information regarding the tensions between the U.S., North Korea, and the U.N.
This was a very informative article. The lead was simple and lead into the story very nicely. The story has a lot of information regarding the tensions between the U.S., North Korea, and the U.N.
N.Ireland: Teens held over attacks on Romanians
Two teenagers were arrested in the attacks last week on Romanians who live in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The teenagers are 15 and 16 and both were charged with provocative conduct and the 15 year old faces charges of intimidation. The arrsts are from last weeks attacks on more than 100 Romanians. Their windows were smashed at their homes. The familes took shelter at the Queen's University campus until the issue was resolved. The Romanian ambassador met with Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long. Most of the Romanains just wanted to return home.
The article was well written and it hit all the points briefly. The only thing I didn't like was the end when the article states that most Romanians are marked by poverty and came there for low paying jobs. It makes they sound non-important.
The article was well written and it hit all the points briefly. The only thing I didn't like was the end when the article states that most Romanians are marked by poverty and came there for low paying jobs. It makes they sound non-important.
"Man Gone Down" goes up
Larry Rohter writes a very interesting article about the success of "Man Gone Down," a novel by Michael Thomas. The book was recently awarded the Impac Dublin Prize in spite of the fact that most people in the literary world had placed it in seventh place out of eight books up for the prize. The author is very flattered, but he is worried that his success is being viewed much the way Obama's success is, that he is a symbol of optimism and that's not how Mr. Thomas sees it.
The lead for this article is good. It might be a little long (24 words) but it pulls in the interest of those looking for a good book and then the article goes on to talk about not just the book, but the author's life as well.
The lead for this article is good. It might be a little long (24 words) but it pulls in the interest of those looking for a good book and then the article goes on to talk about not just the book, but the author's life as well.
Global Sounds
Music fans gather together at hot spots around the world to get up close and personal with their favorite bands or discover new talents that fall under the radar. To get a better idea you might need A guide to the world's best music festivals. Prices range from free to almost 300 dollars in places such as Denmark, Serbia, Japan and Australia. Locally, Chicago hosts the festival Lollapalooza where nearly 200,000 music junkies gather to enjoy a three-day music excursion.
The lead was very short and simple, which I liked. The problem with it being so short is that it seems very vague and does'nt offer much information about the actual concerts. It also does not mention anything about the article offering information about concerts around the world. it almost sounded as if it were a lead for a ball game or amusement park.
The lead was very short and simple, which I liked. The problem with it being so short is that it seems very vague and does'nt offer much information about the actual concerts. It also does not mention anything about the article offering information about concerts around the world. it almost sounded as if it were a lead for a ball game or amusement park.
Food Company Captives
Dr. Kessler, head of the Food and Drug Administration, claims that food companies have developed foods that have the ability to make our brains crave more. His book "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite" is not just another diet book, nor is it simply an expose on the powers of food companies, but his goal in this book was to show people how food makers have captured our brains. With this knowledge he feels people can regain control of thier brains and kick bad eating habits.
The lead of this story was amazing, in my opinion. I completely captured my attention with just three words: chocolate chip cookie. This lead contains the central message of the story without telling the reader what it is. Just like the makers of food lure us in with sugary and delicious food that we "need" the writer draws us in by simply saying "chocolate chip cookie" It completely backs the point of his story 100 percent.
The lead of this story was amazing, in my opinion. I completely captured my attention with just three words: chocolate chip cookie. This lead contains the central message of the story without telling the reader what it is. Just like the makers of food lure us in with sugary and delicious food that we "need" the writer draws us in by simply saying "chocolate chip cookie" It completely backs the point of his story 100 percent.
Retweeting or Citizen Journalism
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/23/why.retweet.twitter/index.html
Retweeting is the act of passing along someone else's Twitter message, this is becoming the new way for global news to get out fast. Recently finding it's way into political activism has many Iranians retweeting the protests against the recent Iran elections. Most of the retweets are photos and videos of the violence during the protests. The video of Neda, a dying woman, has been named by Twitter a "trending topic" due to how much it has been tweeted and retweeted.
This lead was long but seemed to have a few main points so I chose the most important and got to the point.
Retweeting is the act of passing along someone else's Twitter message, this is becoming the new way for global news to get out fast. Recently finding it's way into political activism has many Iranians retweeting the protests against the recent Iran elections. Most of the retweets are photos and videos of the violence during the protests. The video of Neda, a dying woman, has been named by Twitter a "trending topic" due to how much it has been tweeted and retweeted.
This lead was long but seemed to have a few main points so I chose the most important and got to the point.
Standards Recommended in Reducing Prison Rape
A Congressional commission is trying to come up with ways to reduce rape in prisons. Today, the commission will offer recommendations such as improving training for prison and jail employees, classifying vulnerable inmates, and improving medical services. The commission said The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates 60,500 prisoners were sexually assaulted in 2007.
I thought this story was very precise and to the point. The lead gave enough information to describe the story without being too short. The information is laid out in a manner that's easy to read.
One small detail was confusing, at least for me. A study is mentioned near the beginning of the story, but I can't tell if the study is in reference to the commission's recommendations or the statistic of prisoners sexually assaulted.
I thought this story was very precise and to the point. The lead gave enough information to describe the story without being too short. The information is laid out in a manner that's easy to read.
One small detail was confusing, at least for me. A study is mentioned near the beginning of the story, but I can't tell if the study is in reference to the commission's recommendations or the statistic of prisoners sexually assaulted.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Movie Goers Say "I Do" to "The Proposal"
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/21/boxoffice.ew/index.html#cnnSTCText
"The Proposal" took home the box office win this Father's Day weekend with $34.1 million in sales. According to John Young, the reason that this romantic comedy's first place weekend is making big noise is, because it is the best opening at the box office of Sandra Bullock's career. Both men and women gave "The Proposal" an A-.
The other top five finishers include; "The Hangover" at $26.9 million, "Up" with $21.3 million, "Year One" with $20.2 million, and finally,"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" with $11.3 million.
This article's lead was well written. It was 38 words, but it is so full of descriptive words that keep your attention that you don't notice that it is 38 words.
"The Proposal" took home the box office win this Father's Day weekend with $34.1 million in sales. According to John Young, the reason that this romantic comedy's first place weekend is making big noise is, because it is the best opening at the box office of Sandra Bullock's career. Both men and women gave "The Proposal" an A-.
The other top five finishers include; "The Hangover" at $26.9 million, "Up" with $21.3 million, "Year One" with $20.2 million, and finally,"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" with $11.3 million.
This article's lead was well written. It was 38 words, but it is so full of descriptive words that keep your attention that you don't notice that it is 38 words.
New Brewer at Home in the Majors
Quiet in the clubhouse, third baseman Mat Gamel is letting his bat do the talking in his first month as a major leaguer.
Since Becoming a Brewer on May, 14 Gamel is starting to get into a rhythm and making a real contribution to the Milwaukee Brewers.
"I think it just comes with getting more at-bats and seeing more pitches and getting more comfortable," said Gamel.
While hitting a modest .244 batting average overall, over the last week Gamel has stepped it up hitting .304 with a .429 on-base percentage.
Gamel was brought to serve as a DH during inter-league play, he may have made a permanent home in the "Bigs."
Since Becoming a Brewer on May, 14 Gamel is starting to get into a rhythm and making a real contribution to the Milwaukee Brewers.
"I think it just comes with getting more at-bats and seeing more pitches and getting more comfortable," said Gamel.
While hitting a modest .244 batting average overall, over the last week Gamel has stepped it up hitting .304 with a .429 on-base percentage.
Gamel was brought to serve as a DH during inter-league play, he may have made a permanent home in the "Bigs."
"Mat Gamel's on the ball club," general manager Doug Melvin said. "He's done a good job. We don't have any moves coming up."
To read more on this possible Rookie of the Year, click http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/48815882.html
Tibetan Monks Escape China
The New York Times reported a story about three Tibetan monks that were being held at their monastery in China who escaped after making a public protest in front of foreign journalists. The protest was in April 2008, and they first arrived at a Tibetan refugee camp last month.
The lead was a decent length, but struck me as a tad bland. It was about the moments before the protest happened, but didn't really have a punch to it.
The lead was a decent length, but struck me as a tad bland. It was about the moments before the protest happened, but didn't really have a punch to it.
UK lawmaker elect new speaker after expenses anger
British lawmakers elected a new Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow after scandal forced the previous speaker to resign. Former Speaker Michael Martin resigned after widespread public anger over expense claims by the members of Parliament. He is the first speaker to be forced out since 1695. Michael Martin resigned after revelations that some lawmakers claimed expenses as small as a book of matches to as extravagant as moat cleaning. Some members claims morgages payments on morgages that were paid off or didn't exist at all. Several members of the parliament have already promised to step down next election.
The lead was very good. Short and right to the point. The article points out some of the ways the members of parliament misused funds and what the new Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow plans to do to change the way the members use funds. The article is a good length and shows who else was effected by the revelations.
The lead was very good. Short and right to the point. The article points out some of the ways the members of parliament misused funds and what the new Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow plans to do to change the way the members use funds. The article is a good length and shows who else was effected by the revelations.
Craigslist Killer Pleads Not Guilty
Fox news reports former Boston medical student, Philip Markoff, entered not guilty pleas at an arraignment Monday to seven charges, including first-degree murder. Markoff is charged in the death of Julissa Brisman and the robbery of Trisha Leffler. Prosecutors believe they have a strong case based on evidence linking Markoff to the crimes. Markoff is currently being held without bail until the trial.
Overall, a very informative story, but it seems to include too much information at once. The lead is 46 words long and includes a list as well as two different thoughts. I believe it could easily become two sentences. The rest of the story contains some sentences that could also be split to make the story easier to read.
Overall, a very informative story, but it seems to include too much information at once. The lead is 46 words long and includes a list as well as two different thoughts. I believe it could easily become two sentences. The rest of the story contains some sentences that could also be split to make the story easier to read.
Is The U.S. Really Going Green?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/06/22/synthetic.tree.climate.change.ccs/index.html
From the article, "'Synthetic tree' claims to catch carbon in the air", I learned that the U.S. is actually trying to reverse the harmful effects it's been polluting into our environment for centuries. With new technology, a plastic tree will trap and collect over a ton of CO2 everyday. The only issue is cost which isn't a big surprise, if the government would stop spending on unneeded items, we'd have more spending for the Green Movement...
The story was a little confusing for someone who wasn't in the science field but they did a decent job at trying to break down all the high-tech lingo. The lead could have been better, something a little more exciting.
From the article, "'Synthetic tree' claims to catch carbon in the air", I learned that the U.S. is actually trying to reverse the harmful effects it's been polluting into our environment for centuries. With new technology, a plastic tree will trap and collect over a ton of CO2 everyday. The only issue is cost which isn't a big surprise, if the government would stop spending on unneeded items, we'd have more spending for the Green Movement...
The story was a little confusing for someone who wasn't in the science field but they did a decent job at trying to break down all the high-tech lingo. The lead could have been better, something a little more exciting.
Cancer Cured?
Linda Campbell of Lexington, North Carolina was diagnosed with Melanoma a rare, but deadly form of cancer in 2000. She was treated and cured, but in 2007 found that the cancer had spread to her liver. Dr. Richard Alexander, a surgical oncologist at the Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center urged her to try an new and experimental form of treatment. This treatment sends the chemo drug through catheters to the liver. Almost all of Campbell' s cancer has disappered because of this treatment.
The lead of this story was very long, it only told about Linda Campbell and not the treatment at all, which is what the story was about. This did however make the story more readable because it gave the story a personality before slamming the reader with docotor terminology.
The lead of this story was very long, it only told about Linda Campbell and not the treatment at all, which is what the story was about. This did however make the story more readable because it gave the story a personality before slamming the reader with docotor terminology.
A New Spin on Storytelling
Regina Spektor, a rising star for her absurd and quirky songs, is using some New Angles for a Woman of Many Sides for her new album far, which will be released Tuesday from Warner/Sire records. Her new album represents unconventional ways to portray stories in her songs with such topics as religion and faith. She continues to stay true to her odd style of music even with her rising fan base, which is quite a rarity in rising stars nowadays.
I enjoyed the anecdote about her childhood in the lead sentence and the irony that she had to stay at home while her classmates enjoyed the trip to the top of the empire state building, while she was rewarded later in life by being at the top of the charts. I do feel that it would have worked better to include something about her new album, which seemed to be what the story was actually about.
I enjoyed the anecdote about her childhood in the lead sentence and the irony that she had to stay at home while her classmates enjoyed the trip to the top of the empire state building, while she was rewarded later in life by being at the top of the charts. I do feel that it would have worked better to include something about her new album, which seemed to be what the story was actually about.
Andy Webster gives a harsh theatrical review of the play "Heart of the City". While he does find the lighting to be good and helpful to the plays mood, he says that the material is old and not exciting leading to a boring experience, however the acting is good and makes the play pop where pop is needed considering the mundane material. The actors save the play by offering diversity and depth to their roles.
The lead is 30 words and would be better if he left out the address of the theater until later. The lead also focuses on what the play "is not" instead of what the play "is" which is something the textbook tells us not to do.
The article did not say a lot about what the play was about, making it less newsworthy because it does not encourage people to go see it, even though Webster says the acting is good.
The lead is 30 words and would be better if he left out the address of the theater until later. The lead also focuses on what the play "is not" instead of what the play "is" which is something the textbook tells us not to do.
The article did not say a lot about what the play was about, making it less newsworthy because it does not encourage people to go see it, even though Webster says the acting is good.
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