The most useful part of this semester in JOUR 3101 has been learning AP style. When I entered the class I was completely unaware that print news reporting had its own 'style' that it followed. I still have much to learn and know with AP style, but it is something that I know I cannot completely memorize. I can only know what I should recognize when writing or proofreading articles.
The least useful part of the class I would say is the powerpoints and lectures. I don't feel like I have completely benefited from the lectures that the class has on Tuesdays. I only found myself referencing the slideshows themselves and my notes a few times throughout the entire semester. It was a lot more useful to have hands on information, like the labs every Thursday, that helped me learn and recognize things that need to be changed while writing articles.
I do find myself reading news differently. I have noticed AP errors in magazines and newspapers that I would no have recognized before. I can also tell while watching broadcast if something on the prompt was written incorrectly or it was a public service announcement.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
89 year old woman shoots at house intruder
An 89-year-old woman from Iowa shot a single shot at a man who bashed in her front door on Tuesday, reports the Star Tribune. The woman, Beatrice Turner, grabbed her handgun and threatened the man who was knocking on her front door. She told him, 37-year-old Nelson McAlpine, that he had the wrong house and to leave, but he then started breaking through the door.
Turner shot at McAlpine after he entered her home.
Police found McAlpine in Turner's front yard. He was unharmed and was arrested on the charges of second-degree burglary.
Turner shot at McAlpine after he entered her home.
Police found McAlpine in Turner's front yard. He was unharmed and was arrested on the charges of second-degree burglary.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Air travel resumes in Europe even as volvano is still erupting in Iceland
A limited amount of air planes were allowed to take flight on Monday in Europe after many have been stranded since last week due to a volcano in Iceland, reports the Star Tribune. London is unlikely to allow air travel even on Tuesday because of the volcanic ash still emerging from the volcano. More airlines are expected to allow travel on Tuesday morning including those in Germany and Scotland.
There is currently a new ash cloud moving towards London's skies. Due to the many cancellations of flights, the London aviation industry is losing nearly $1 billion.
While some scientists say that is safe for air planes to travel through the ash cloud, some said that it is not worth the risk of the travelers. There have many test flights through the ash cloud over the past few days to determine the safety of air planes.
There is currently a new ash cloud moving towards London's skies. Due to the many cancellations of flights, the London aviation industry is losing nearly $1 billion.
While some scientists say that is safe for air planes to travel through the ash cloud, some said that it is not worth the risk of the travelers. There have many test flights through the ash cloud over the past few days to determine the safety of air planes.
One dead after crash near Highway 65 on Sunday
A car crashed into a tree and caught fire on Highway 65 near Isanti, Minn. around noon on Sunday April 18 killing one person, according to the Star Tribune.
The car was traveling at a high speed southbound along the highway passing multiple cars before driving into a ditch and finally landing in a tree and exploding. The was a 1997 Toyota Avalon, which is not included in Toyota's multiple car recalls.
A state patrol spokesman said that it may take longer than usual to identify the driver of the car because of the extensive fire damage. The spokesman also said that investigators are trying to determine why the driver was traveling so quickly, which led to the car accident.
The car was traveling at a high speed southbound along the highway passing multiple cars before driving into a ditch and finally landing in a tree and exploding. The was a 1997 Toyota Avalon, which is not included in Toyota's multiple car recalls.
A state patrol spokesman said that it may take longer than usual to identify the driver of the car because of the extensive fire damage. The spokesman also said that investigators are trying to determine why the driver was traveling so quickly, which led to the car accident.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Analysis on diversity
The article I am going to analyze for the week is about a school in Mississippi which is has now been mandated to integrate races at there school.
The article shows the stereotypes of whites in the South because the school district allows segregation by allowing many white students to transfer out of the school district they live to a school that is now identified as predominantly white. This is a stereotype of whites in the South because during the Civil Rights movement 40 years ago, much of the demonstrations took place in the South because that is where much racism existed at the time.
The article describes the segregation of the public schools by saying there were "'clustered'" students with "'disproportionate numbers of white students into designated classrooms' at elementary schools". The article also says that the school that allows white students to transfer out if they choose is "'...predominately black.'"
I did not know that school's still allowed there to be "segregation" during the 21st Century. I'm also surprised to read that this was an issue that had been going on for a while, since this has been an issue since 1970, that had been dismissed since there was little activity in the ongoing case. I believe this is something, that since it is illegal to have segregation, that should have been looked at in greater detail after it was brought to the courts attention. It should not have occurred this long.
The article shows the stereotypes of whites in the South because the school district allows segregation by allowing many white students to transfer out of the school district they live to a school that is now identified as predominantly white. This is a stereotype of whites in the South because during the Civil Rights movement 40 years ago, much of the demonstrations took place in the South because that is where much racism existed at the time.
The article describes the segregation of the public schools by saying there were "'clustered'" students with "'disproportionate numbers of white students into designated classrooms' at elementary schools". The article also says that the school that allows white students to transfer out if they choose is "'...predominately black.'"
I did not know that school's still allowed there to be "segregation" during the 21st Century. I'm also surprised to read that this was an issue that had been going on for a while, since this has been an issue since 1970, that had been dismissed since there was little activity in the ongoing case. I believe this is something, that since it is illegal to have segregation, that should have been looked at in greater detail after it was brought to the courts attention. It should not have occurred this long.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Man loses life while helping a boy in yard fire
A 21-year-old man went into cardiac arrest and died Sunday night after rushing to help a 12-year-old boy in a backyard explosion in Moorhead, reports the Star Tribune. The boy, Devan Vanbrunt, was pouring gasoline on charcoal to light a fire when the gas vapors ignited, according to the Moorhead fire marshal. 21-year-old Dane Tvedt and his father heard the explosion from his home and ran to help when Tvedt collapsed.
Vanbrunt was flown to Regions Hospital, and is reported to be in critical condition as on Monday night.
Vanbrunt was flown to Regions Hospital, and is reported to be in critical condition as on Monday night.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Mass. teenager charged after fatally stabbing fellow student
A teenager from Boston High School was charged Monday for fatally stabbing a fellow classmate, according to the Star Tribune. The suspect's defense attorney argued that the teen was mentally ill. John Odgren killed 15-year-old James Alenson in January 2007.
Odgren took a carving knife to school the day of the alleged murder after watching killing videos that morning. He then waited in a boys' bathroom and when no one came in, he moved to a second bathroom where Alenson walked in as well.
Immediately following, a student said they heard Odgren say "I didn't mean to kill him. It was a mistake." And later asked police how much time would be served for manslaughter.
Bipolar disorder does run in Odgren's family.
Odgren took a carving knife to school the day of the alleged murder after watching killing videos that morning. He then waited in a boys' bathroom and when no one came in, he moved to a second bathroom where Alenson walked in as well.
Immediately following, a student said they heard Odgren say "I didn't mean to kill him. It was a mistake." And later asked police how much time would be served for manslaughter.
Bipolar disorder does run in Odgren's family.
Plane crash that killed Poland's president may have been due to human error
Russian investigators have come to the early conclusion that the plane crash on Saturday April 3 that killed the Polish president, his wife, and 95 others was due to human error and not technical problems on the plane, reports the Star Tribune. The plane crashed during landing in the fog in Russia. There were no survivors including President Lech Kaczynski of Poland.
The president was traveling to honor Polish officers executed 70 years ago by Josef Stalin's secret police.
The pilot of the aircraft had been warned by air traffic controllers to land at a different airport because of the weather, but did not because it would have put the honoring ceremony behind schedule. The plane had made four attempts to land before the fifth and fatal attempt, which resulted in the crash. The pilots were also told of the bad weather conditions while still in the air away from the original landing site.
Russia and Ukraine declared a day of mourning on Monday.
The president was traveling to honor Polish officers executed 70 years ago by Josef Stalin's secret police.
The pilot of the aircraft had been warned by air traffic controllers to land at a different airport because of the weather, but did not because it would have put the honoring ceremony behind schedule. The plane had made four attempts to land before the fifth and fatal attempt, which resulted in the crash. The pilots were also told of the bad weather conditions while still in the air away from the original landing site.
Russia and Ukraine declared a day of mourning on Monday.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Analysis on number use
The article that I chose to analyze for this week is an article found in the Minnesota Daily on the decreasing number of the sexually transmitted disease in Minnesota for the year 2009.
The reporters uses uses many different numbers to express years, the amount of sexually transmitted disease in the state of Minnesota, also the number of HIV cases that were reported in Minnesota, and also percentages. Also, the title of the article has numbers in it, a 5, to express that STD rates have gone down in percentage. The reporters then goes on to use exact numbers for the number of STD's reported in 2008 and in 2009. I believe can be somewhat overwhelming because the both numbers are in the 10,000 range. Therefore people overlook the exact numbers and continue to read the article without grasping the actual numbers, I did this myself during my first morning class. I think it would more reader friendly if the sentence read "...just over 14,000 cases, up slightly from 2008," instead of "...with 14,186 cases, up slightly from 2008."
The reporters did use math to crunch some of the data down, such as using percentages like 70 percent to explain how much chlamydia cases reported had gone down. I also believe that this helps the reader grasp the data better, especially when they are reading the first few paragraphs of the article, which appeared on the front page of the Minnesota Daily.
The source for the data used in the article comes from the Minnesota Department of Health. There is also quotes and other information from Peter Carr, the manager of the STD and HIV section MDH. There is also information from the Boynton College Student Health Survey, which is a health organization made available to students at the University of Minnesota.
The reporters uses uses many different numbers to express years, the amount of sexually transmitted disease in the state of Minnesota, also the number of HIV cases that were reported in Minnesota, and also percentages. Also, the title of the article has numbers in it, a 5, to express that STD rates have gone down in percentage. The reporters then goes on to use exact numbers for the number of STD's reported in 2008 and in 2009. I believe can be somewhat overwhelming because the both numbers are in the 10,000 range. Therefore people overlook the exact numbers and continue to read the article without grasping the actual numbers, I did this myself during my first morning class. I think it would more reader friendly if the sentence read "...just over 14,000 cases, up slightly from 2008," instead of "...with 14,186 cases, up slightly from 2008."
The reporters did use math to crunch some of the data down, such as using percentages like 70 percent to explain how much chlamydia cases reported had gone down. I also believe that this helps the reader grasp the data better, especially when they are reading the first few paragraphs of the article, which appeared on the front page of the Minnesota Daily.
The source for the data used in the article comes from the Minnesota Department of Health. There is also quotes and other information from Peter Carr, the manager of the STD and HIV section MDH. There is also information from the Boynton College Student Health Survey, which is a health organization made available to students at the University of Minnesota.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
British couple to be jailed after kissing in Dubai
A British couple will spend a month in jail before their deportation from Dubai for kissing in public, according to Fox 9 News. The couple was spotted kissing and touching one another which breaks indecency laws in the country. The couple was also found guilty of consuming alcohol in public which is against the law.
Both the 25-year-old man and 24-year-old woman work in Dubai. The couple originally pleaded not guilty and said the kiss was nothing more than a "peck".
The couple was reported to authorities by a mother after her child became upset after the incident.
The couple is talking to their lawyer about a possible appeal with the Dubai court system.
Both the 25-year-old man and 24-year-old woman work in Dubai. The couple originally pleaded not guilty and said the kiss was nothing more than a "peck".
The couple was reported to authorities by a mother after her child became upset after the incident.
The couple is talking to their lawyer about a possible appeal with the Dubai court system.
A mine explosion killed at least 25 miners Monday in West Virginia, reports Yahoo News. The search still continued on Tuesday for four missing miners.
Crews are creating an access road in order to drill access holes into the ground to access the trapped miners. The crews were battling poisonous gas from the mine. It may not be until Wednesday night until the first access hole is drilled.
Witnesses said that they knew something was wrong when the carbon monoxide alarms started to go off. After checking the alarms, the workers discovered the explosion.
There were 31 miners in the area when the explosion occurred. Some of the 25 who died may have died from the breathing in the toxic carbon monoxide gas.
Crews are creating an access road in order to drill access holes into the ground to access the trapped miners. The crews were battling poisonous gas from the mine. It may not be until Wednesday night until the first access hole is drilled.
Witnesses said that they knew something was wrong when the carbon monoxide alarms started to go off. After checking the alarms, the workers discovered the explosion.
There were 31 miners in the area when the explosion occurred. Some of the 25 who died may have died from the breathing in the toxic carbon monoxide gas.
University of Minnesota student stabbed in attempted robbery
A University of Minnesota student was stabbed Monday night in the Marcy Holmes area during an attempted robbery, according to the Star Tribune. The student who was stabbed was trying to fend off the suspect.
The stabbing took place at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Sixth Street SE at around 9:40p.m. according to the police.
The victim was jogging through the neighborhood when he came upon the suspect. The suspect demanded that he empty his pocket before reaching towards the student. The student was then stabbed in the lower torso. He ran off, stopped a motorcyclist, then taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. He is currently in stable condition.
The U of M text alert system was activated after the administration became aware of the incident. The texts were sent out just after midnight.
The stabbing took place at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Sixth Street SE at around 9:40p.m. according to the police.
The victim was jogging through the neighborhood when he came upon the suspect. The suspect demanded that he empty his pocket before reaching towards the student. The student was then stabbed in the lower torso. He ran off, stopped a motorcyclist, then taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. He is currently in stable condition.
The U of M text alert system was activated after the administration became aware of the incident. The texts were sent out just after midnight.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Analysis on records/CAR
The article that I chose to analyze for this is about information that has been held from the North Carolina public for 35 years.
The article covers information that has not been disclosed the public about the salaries that government employees receive whether they are promoted or demoted to different positions. The writer goes on to explain that when a woman lost her job that was lower than her previous job she received no pay cut which did not help the economy as a whole. The North Carolina state government does now allow access to the salaries of any employees for up to five years. This has been interpreted as the government is trying to hide information, such as spending, from the public.
The writer also talks about how people have been trying to sway the current law into making the salaries and employment history made public without question, but this is something that according to the article has already been attempted at in 2001 which was denied. The writer then goes on to say that the information could be seen as to too shocking to the public, giving the impression that employees are getting paid far above what they should be during budget cuts to the state.
Computer skills that could have been used to develop the data for the article could be the information about how local news coverage has been able to track down how much government workers have made. There is also the amount of money that is included in the article of how much some employees make. That data had to be found during some sort of computer search online of records that had been made public and most likely was put on to the internet.
The article covers information that has not been disclosed the public about the salaries that government employees receive whether they are promoted or demoted to different positions. The writer goes on to explain that when a woman lost her job that was lower than her previous job she received no pay cut which did not help the economy as a whole. The North Carolina state government does now allow access to the salaries of any employees for up to five years. This has been interpreted as the government is trying to hide information, such as spending, from the public.
The writer also talks about how people have been trying to sway the current law into making the salaries and employment history made public without question, but this is something that according to the article has already been attempted at in 2001 which was denied. The writer then goes on to say that the information could be seen as to too shocking to the public, giving the impression that employees are getting paid far above what they should be during budget cuts to the state.
Computer skills that could have been used to develop the data for the article could be the information about how local news coverage has been able to track down how much government workers have made. There is also the amount of money that is included in the article of how much some employees make. That data had to be found during some sort of computer search online of records that had been made public and most likely was put on to the internet.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Nine Mass. teens charged in a teens suicide
Fox 9 News reported that nine teenagers from Massachusetts have been charged with the bullying of a suicide victim. Phoebe Prince committed suicide on Jan. 14 after months of bullying, raped, and stalked. The abuse that Prince endured was "intolerable", Elizabeth Scheibel said, the Northwestern District Attorney
The charges the six teens will face include statutory rape, assault, violation of civil rights resulting in injury, criminal harassment, disturbance of school assembly, and stalking. Three of the teens also face delinquency charges.
The school supposedly knew about the bullying but did not do anything to stop it.
Prince moved to Massachusetts from Ireland recently.
The charges the six teens will face include statutory rape, assault, violation of civil rights resulting in injury, criminal harassment, disturbance of school assembly, and stalking. Three of the teens also face delinquency charges.
The school supposedly knew about the bullying but did not do anything to stop it.
Prince moved to Massachusetts from Ireland recently.
Woman murdered in Mankato
According to Kare 11 News, a woman was shot to death on Sunday March 28 in a park in Mankato, Minn. The woman was identified on Monday March 29 as Svetlana Vladimirovna Munt from Mankato.
The suspect, of Burnsville, Minn., is the victims ex-husband and is currently "being held on suspicion of second-degree murder".
Authorities believe that the suspect crashed his car into the victim's car, shot the woman, then carjacked another car to flee the area. The victim's car had three children in it, which were kidnapped by the suspect when he fled the scene in the carjacked car.
The case has been given to Blue Earth County's attorney's office for pending charges.
The suspect, of Burnsville, Minn., is the victims ex-husband and is currently "being held on suspicion of second-degree murder".
Authorities believe that the suspect crashed his car into the victim's car, shot the woman, then carjacked another car to flee the area. The victim's car had three children in it, which were kidnapped by the suspect when he fled the scene in the carjacked car.
The case has been given to Blue Earth County's attorney's office for pending charges.
Moscow the latest target in terrorist attacks
On Monday March 29, a Moscow subway was attacked by two suicide bombers killing 38 people and wounding at least 60 more according to the Star Tribune. These are the first subway bombing in Russia since 2004.
In the past week Russian police have executed many Islamic militant leaders in the North Caucaus in the Kabardino-Balkariya region. According to the Russian president "the remains of the two suicide bombers pointed to a connection with the Caucaus".
The first explosion happened at 8 a.m. and then the second bombing took place about 45 minutes later. Both times the bombs were detonated as trains were pulling into the stations and the doors were open.
Multiple train stations in the United States increased their security after the Moscow bombings including Washington D.C. and New York.
In the past week Russian police have executed many Islamic militant leaders in the North Caucaus in the Kabardino-Balkariya region. According to the Russian president "the remains of the two suicide bombers pointed to a connection with the Caucaus".
The first explosion happened at 8 a.m. and then the second bombing took place about 45 minutes later. Both times the bombs were detonated as trains were pulling into the stations and the doors were open.
Multiple train stations in the United States increased their security after the Moscow bombings including Washington D.C. and New York.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Analysis on Obits
The obituary that I chose for my analysis this week is on Jim Marshall from the New York Times. Jim Marshall was a Rock 'n' Roll photographer from many notable acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, and Johnny Cash.
The sources that were used included previous interviews with Marshall and people that he had worked with during his career such as Annie Leibovitz. The person they used to confirm Marshall's death was a representative of him while Marshall was staying in New York. Another source that the New York Times used was a curator who had worked a gallery featuring Marshall's photography in the past. There is also a quote used from a book that Marshall wrote explaining himself as a photographer.
The lead of this obituary is very standard. It starts with the persons name and then immediately goes into what Marshall's occupation was. Then it explains why he is a public figure and what he is most known for, which was being a photographer of famous musical acts. It then gives the date and location in which Marshall died and finally says his age. The lead works well in the instance because I personally did not know who Jim Marshall was so it was nice having a simple explanation of his life, who is was, and why he is regarded as being important.
The obituary is different than a resume because it does have every detail of Marshall's life. It gives details that are important to his legacy without being repetitive. The article is also not in chronological order. The beginnings of Marshall's career are more towards the middle of the article rather than right after the lead. The end of the article, also, is a quote and carries more information about the latter part of his career in the '80's. In the third to last paragraph is the information about survivors, or in this case the fact that Marshall did not have immediate family survivors. This is information usually found closer to the end of an obituary.
The sources that were used included previous interviews with Marshall and people that he had worked with during his career such as Annie Leibovitz. The person they used to confirm Marshall's death was a representative of him while Marshall was staying in New York. Another source that the New York Times used was a curator who had worked a gallery featuring Marshall's photography in the past. There is also a quote used from a book that Marshall wrote explaining himself as a photographer.
The lead of this obituary is very standard. It starts with the persons name and then immediately goes into what Marshall's occupation was. Then it explains why he is a public figure and what he is most known for, which was being a photographer of famous musical acts. It then gives the date and location in which Marshall died and finally says his age. The lead works well in the instance because I personally did not know who Jim Marshall was so it was nice having a simple explanation of his life, who is was, and why he is regarded as being important.
The obituary is different than a resume because it does have every detail of Marshall's life. It gives details that are important to his legacy without being repetitive. The article is also not in chronological order. The beginnings of Marshall's career are more towards the middle of the article rather than right after the lead. The end of the article, also, is a quote and carries more information about the latter part of his career in the '80's. In the third to last paragraph is the information about survivors, or in this case the fact that Marshall did not have immediate family survivors. This is information usually found closer to the end of an obituary.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wedding guest shoots self in Russia
A wedding guest shot himself in the heading during a game of Russian Roulette, according to Fox 9 News which was reported Monday March 22. The man is currently in poor health with brain damage and paralysis. The incident began as a prank when the groom originally put the gun to his head, pulled the trigger, and nothing happened. The guest then grabbed the gun, pulled the trigger, and was shot in the head in front of the guests.
The man who brought the handgun to the wedding was later arrested. The man arrested said that he brought the gun to perform a trick, not expecting anyone else to try. He also told police that he had taken all the bullets out before performing the trick.
The man who brought the handgun to the wedding was later arrested. The man arrested said that he brought the gun to perform a trick, not expecting anyone else to try. He also told police that he had taken all the bullets out before performing the trick.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Stillwater bridge to close due to river rising
On Tuesday March 23, the Stillwater Lift Bridge will close at 10 a.m. because of flooding on the St. Croix river, according to the Star Tribune. It is unclear how long the bridge will stay closed for.
The bridge is one of the main connectors between Wisconsin and Minnesota especially many commuters traveling to the Twin Cities. While the bridge is close commuters will have to travel further south to Interstate 94 or north to Highway 243 to cross the river.
The river is expected to crest by Friday this week at a level of 87 feet. The bridge may become inoperative after 88 feet. There has been a temporary levee built in Stillwater to protect its downtown.
The bridge is one of the main connectors between Wisconsin and Minnesota especially many commuters traveling to the Twin Cities. While the bridge is close commuters will have to travel further south to Interstate 94 or north to Highway 243 to cross the river.
The river is expected to crest by Friday this week at a level of 87 feet. The bridge may become inoperative after 88 feet. There has been a temporary levee built in Stillwater to protect its downtown.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Textbooks to be geered towards Texas
Yahoo News reported Monday March 15 that new United States history textbooks will be changed because of the influence of Texas. The Texas State Board of Education voted Friday 10-to-5 on changing some of the information in history, economic, and social studies books to a more conservative manner. The reason for the change in the information within the books is a more fair and to bring America back to balance with its "left" views.
The reason that the books will satisfy the citizens of Texas is because Texas is among the leading of the states who buy textbooks. This will effect other states and school districts in the country because not all of the schools share the same views as Texas.
A final vote is still set to take place this week on the finalized draft.
The reason that the books will satisfy the citizens of Texas is because Texas is among the leading of the states who buy textbooks. This will effect other states and school districts in the country because not all of the schools share the same views as Texas.
A final vote is still set to take place this week on the finalized draft.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Slide show analysis
The slide show I analyzed tells the story of how the fashion in movies has influence the popular media over the years. The slide show contains 12 pictures and titles with different popular film stills and how they have influenced the fashion of reality.
The first five slides are the most related to the title of the slide show which is "Film's Influence on Fashion, Then and Now". The slides show pictures of the films like "Saturday Night Fever" and "Out of Africa" and how the fashion of Meryl Streep and John Travolta started a frenzy among the population. This is greatly seen when you look back on fashions history and even some of the collections of fashion designers. The captions of the others are obvious and not giving much detail that we cannot see for ourselves. There were captions explaining that women enjoyed "slinky midi-skirts, twin sets, and jaunty berets..." which the readers can see for themselves from the picture. As the pictures go on in the shows the details in the descriptions become less, not improving on the beginning descriptions which I do not really enjoy.
As for telling a story, the captions are used well buy giving the title of the film still that is on the page. Some of the captions also explain if the film is nominated for an Oscar which were held on March 8. The eighth picture of the slide show, for example, is a still from the film "Bright Star" which was nominated for Best Costume Design at the this years Academy Awards. I believe this is also a good use of space because people want to know what films are nominated for which categories.
I believe the space that the author had to use, being limited, was used well. Some of the captions at the end of the slide show could have used a bit more detail rather than simply stating the title of the movie. The author could have said which fashion era the movie had an influence on. I was partially confused, however, when I saw that films such as "Bright Star" and "Nine" were used in the slide show because both of those movies take place in the past and are less likely to have an influence on our fashion now. I believe with the title of the slide show that the films used should have referred to the fashion era when the film was released.
The first five slides are the most related to the title of the slide show which is "Film's Influence on Fashion, Then and Now". The slides show pictures of the films like "Saturday Night Fever" and "Out of Africa" and how the fashion of Meryl Streep and John Travolta started a frenzy among the population. This is greatly seen when you look back on fashions history and even some of the collections of fashion designers. The captions of the others are obvious and not giving much detail that we cannot see for ourselves. There were captions explaining that women enjoyed "slinky midi-skirts, twin sets, and jaunty berets..." which the readers can see for themselves from the picture. As the pictures go on in the shows the details in the descriptions become less, not improving on the beginning descriptions which I do not really enjoy.
As for telling a story, the captions are used well buy giving the title of the film still that is on the page. Some of the captions also explain if the film is nominated for an Oscar which were held on March 8. The eighth picture of the slide show, for example, is a still from the film "Bright Star" which was nominated for Best Costume Design at the this years Academy Awards. I believe this is also a good use of space because people want to know what films are nominated for which categories.
I believe the space that the author had to use, being limited, was used well. Some of the captions at the end of the slide show could have used a bit more detail rather than simply stating the title of the movie. The author could have said which fashion era the movie had an influence on. I was partially confused, however, when I saw that films such as "Bright Star" and "Nine" were used in the slide show because both of those movies take place in the past and are less likely to have an influence on our fashion now. I believe with the title of the slide show that the films used should have referred to the fashion era when the film was released.
Spirits auctioned in New Zealand
Two vials containing ghosts of the deceased were auctioned $1,983 U.S. Monday night in New Zealand reported the Star Tribune. The ghosts were put up for auction by a woman who caught them in her home and says they were blessed in holy water to calm the spirits.
The two spirits are those of a man who lived in the woman's home in the 1920's and a girl who's spirit arrived in the home after the use of a Ouija board. Many people attended the auction at Trademe because of their curiosity of the validity of the spirits in the vials. The name of the winning bidder was not released.
After the costs of the exorcism done to catch the ghosts is paid the remainder of the money the woman earned will go to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The two spirits are those of a man who lived in the woman's home in the 1920's and a girl who's spirit arrived in the home after the use of a Ouija board. Many people attended the auction at Trademe because of their curiosity of the validity of the spirits in the vials. The name of the winning bidder was not released.
After the costs of the exorcism done to catch the ghosts is paid the remainder of the money the woman earned will go to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Schweigert hot dogs to be served at Target Field
The infamous Hormel Dome Dog will not be following the Minnesota Twins to their new home at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., which has caused some curiousity as to what brand of hot dogs will be sold at the new stadium. The Star Tribune reported on Monday March 8 that local Schweigert hot dogs will provide four different kinds of hot dogs in the new field in April.
Schweigert used to only provide hot dogs on Wednesday nights during Dollar-A-Dog days, which will now be moved to Monday nights (excluding Opening Day). The Twins Big Dog will officially replace the Hormel Dome Dog coming in at a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog.
Schweigert also provided hots dogs for the Minnesota Wild games at Xcel Energy Center. The company has been around since 1937.
Schweigert used to only provide hot dogs on Wednesday nights during Dollar-A-Dog days, which will now be moved to Monday nights (excluding Opening Day). The Twins Big Dog will officially replace the Hormel Dome Dog coming in at a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog.
Schweigert also provided hots dogs for the Minnesota Wild games at Xcel Energy Center. The company has been around since 1937.
Preschooler expelled from Catholic school because of gay parents
According to Fox 9 News, a preschooler was expelled from next school year because his parents are lesbians in Boulder, Colo. After investigation of the expulsion, it was concluded that the expulsion was legal. Students as well as parents are expected to follow policies in the private institution within the beliefs of the Catholic Church.
According to other statements, the child will not be allowed to attend the school because the child's parents could confuse other students in the school. The decision was thought out before coming to a conclusion.
This is not the first time that a parents beliefs have been overruled because the private school is not a business and therefore not have to follow the state law of discriminating. Last year, two girls were expelled from their Lutheran school because of their "bond of intimacy" which was concluded to be "a lesbian relationship".
According to other statements, the child will not be allowed to attend the school because the child's parents could confuse other students in the school. The decision was thought out before coming to a conclusion.
This is not the first time that a parents beliefs have been overruled because the private school is not a business and therefore not have to follow the state law of discriminating. Last year, two girls were expelled from their Lutheran school because of their "bond of intimacy" which was concluded to be "a lesbian relationship".
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Event Advance
The article I chose to analyze for this week is about the music duo Simon and Garfunkel. The article was published by the Star Tribune on March 4 and talks about how the music duo who has broken up many times is reuniting for a tour and will be stopping in Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for a show. The article also gives information on when ticket sales will begin.
The article does not appear to have any sources within it, but possible sources could have been the groups Web site or a gossip site that focuses on celebrities.
The article's angle in the beginning, seems to focus upon the fact that the duo has broken up many times and are once again reuniting. This gives the impression that either this tour is no surprise or that they will not have the ability to perform well during this tour because of their lack of connection anymore. The article then goes into the background of how the two, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, came to be friends in high school and began performing together. It also gives individual information, for example, that Simon has a solo career which is striving.
Overall the article does not seem to be very exciting or catch my interest. It could have been written better, perhaps giving some details of what the duo is planning to do before or after the tour. If the duo is planning on recording once again would have been insightful, because the article does point out that the group has not recorded an album together since the 1970's besides live recordings. This would have intrigued fans and get them more excited for the group and the upcoming tour. Because of this, I believe the article is more of a listing than an article.
The article does not appear to have any sources within it, but possible sources could have been the groups Web site or a gossip site that focuses on celebrities.
The article's angle in the beginning, seems to focus upon the fact that the duo has broken up many times and are once again reuniting. This gives the impression that either this tour is no surprise or that they will not have the ability to perform well during this tour because of their lack of connection anymore. The article then goes into the background of how the two, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, came to be friends in high school and began performing together. It also gives individual information, for example, that Simon has a solo career which is striving.
Overall the article does not seem to be very exciting or catch my interest. It could have been written better, perhaps giving some details of what the duo is planning to do before or after the tour. If the duo is planning on recording once again would have been insightful, because the article does point out that the group has not recorded an album together since the 1970's besides live recordings. This would have intrigued fans and get them more excited for the group and the upcoming tour. Because of this, I believe the article is more of a listing than an article.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Chile earthquake may have changed earth's day
The earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday Feb. 27 may have shortened earth's day by 1.26 miliseconds, reports the Star Tribune. A normal day on earth is just more than 24 hours, which many people know. The reason for the change is because an earthquake can have an effect on the earth's axis in which it sits. Depending on how earth sits on its axis, it can increase or decrease how quickly earth spins each day. According to Yahoo News, earth's axis changed about a total of 3 inches
The changes that happen during earthquakes to earth's axis are permanent, but are very marginal. This is, however, not the first time that the earth's axis has changed due to an earthquake. In 2004, during a 9.1 earthquake it shortened earth's days by about 6.8 microseconds.
The earthquake in Chile has killed over 700 people while the search continues.
The changes that happen during earthquakes to earth's axis are permanent, but are very marginal. This is, however, not the first time that the earth's axis has changed due to an earthquake. In 2004, during a 9.1 earthquake it shortened earth's days by about 6.8 microseconds.
The earthquake in Chile has killed over 700 people while the search continues.
Minnesota appliance rebate money is gone
On Monday March 1, Minnesota began a cash-for-appliance program and was over Tuesday March 2, reports the Star Tribune. The Department of Commerce handed out $5 million in rebates to those who traded in their old appliances for energy-efficient appliances including dish washers, refrigerators and laundry appliances. The rebate offer has also caused a 10,000 person waiting list to be generated because of the high demand.
On Monday morning when the program opened, the phone system and Web site crashed causing many Minnesotans to become frustrated and lose their spots in line for rebates. By Monday after the site was up and working again, but was slow moving. This led to much confusion and some people are not yet sure if they will receive the rebate they applied for.
Those who did receive the rebate will have through March to buy new appliances.
On Monday morning when the program opened, the phone system and Web site crashed causing many Minnesotans to become frustrated and lose their spots in line for rebates. By Monday after the site was up and working again, but was slow moving. This led to much confusion and some people are not yet sure if they will receive the rebate they applied for.
Those who did receive the rebate will have through March to buy new appliances.
California proposes swearing ban
On Feb. 25 The California Assembly established that during the first week of March would the first "Cuss Free Week" in Calif. according to the PJ Star. The proposal next would go to the Senate and pending approval from them. This went into effect this week on Monday March 1. According San Diego 10 News, if the proposal is made a law there would be no enforcements or consequences of swearing in Calif. The law would simply be to create more harmony among people.
The new rule was proposed by a teenager who created a No Cussing Club at his high school in South Pasadena in 2007. The teenager traveled to Sacramento to support the proposal and is hopeful on its passing through the Senate.
California is the first state to propose a no swearing law in the United States.
The new rule was proposed by a teenager who created a No Cussing Club at his high school in South Pasadena in 2007. The teenager traveled to Sacramento to support the proposal and is hopeful on its passing through the Senate.
California is the first state to propose a no swearing law in the United States.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Press Release vs. News Article
The Food and Drug Administration published a press release regarding the investigation into the recent salmonella outbreak in peppers spices from the retailer Wholesome Spice. I then found an article from The Orgeonian regarding the recent outbreak and recall.
According the press release from the FDA the salmonella outbreak has not officially been linked to one item in particular. The FDA is searching for the source. The press release also says that there are 44 states that have confirmed cases of salmonella in the United States. People have contracted salmonella from a "variety of ready-to-eat Italian style meats". Since the outbreak the meats that have made people sick have been called and pulled off the shelves. In Rhode Island there have been sample of black pepper from within the state that have tested positive for salmonella. The FDA is currently leaning in the direction that the pepper is responsible for the recent outbreaks.
In the article, it reads that there have been "pepper-related" salmonella cases beginning in Oregon in the middle of last year which was when the recall began. This is something that the press release from the FDA failed to put in their release. The article then goes on to say that scientists first believed that the outbreaks were caused by salami, which matches the press release. The salami was then pulled off shelves before there was further tracking down of the origins of the salmonella.
For the most part, the article and the press release have the same basic ideas and information. However, I believe that the article focuses more on the fact that pepper has been the main cause of the salmonella outbreaks in the United States while the press release says that it is still under investigation whether that is the main source. The press release was published on Feb. 17 and the article was published on Feb. 26 and there is the possibility that there has been alterations in the press release and information that I was unable to find. It seems like the article was exaggerating that the pepper is the cause of the outbreak, when it is not 100 percent known if that is true.
According the press release from the FDA the salmonella outbreak has not officially been linked to one item in particular. The FDA is searching for the source. The press release also says that there are 44 states that have confirmed cases of salmonella in the United States. People have contracted salmonella from a "variety of ready-to-eat Italian style meats". Since the outbreak the meats that have made people sick have been called and pulled off the shelves. In Rhode Island there have been sample of black pepper from within the state that have tested positive for salmonella. The FDA is currently leaning in the direction that the pepper is responsible for the recent outbreaks.
In the article, it reads that there have been "pepper-related" salmonella cases beginning in Oregon in the middle of last year which was when the recall began. This is something that the press release from the FDA failed to put in their release. The article then goes on to say that scientists first believed that the outbreaks were caused by salami, which matches the press release. The salami was then pulled off shelves before there was further tracking down of the origins of the salmonella.
For the most part, the article and the press release have the same basic ideas and information. However, I believe that the article focuses more on the fact that pepper has been the main cause of the salmonella outbreaks in the United States while the press release says that it is still under investigation whether that is the main source. The press release was published on Feb. 17 and the article was published on Feb. 26 and there is the possibility that there has been alterations in the press release and information that I was unable to find. It seems like the article was exaggerating that the pepper is the cause of the outbreak, when it is not 100 percent known if that is true.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
House explodes in Edina
A house exploded in Edina, Minn. after a natural gas leak on Feb. 23 just before 3 p.m. There have been no injuries reported as fire crews from Edina and the surrounding cities have fought to put the fire out. It is suspected that no one was home when the explosion happened reports the Star Tribune.
The explosion was sparked by an a worker who was excavating the area when they hit the natural gas line. CenterPoint Energy was contacted immediately to be told about the leak. A block away from the leak, a house exploded and caught fire about two hours after the the line was hit.
Witnesses reported that they heard and felt the explosion up to six blocks away from the site. There was an evacuation of many homes up to a two block radius.
The fire is currently still being put out and the neighborhood is still evacuated. The evacuation is a precaution because the gas line running through the area has not been able to be turned off yet.
The explosion was sparked by an a worker who was excavating the area when they hit the natural gas line. CenterPoint Energy was contacted immediately to be told about the leak. A block away from the leak, a house exploded and caught fire about two hours after the the line was hit.
Witnesses reported that they heard and felt the explosion up to six blocks away from the site. There was an evacuation of many homes up to a two block radius.
The fire is currently still being put out and the neighborhood is still evacuated. The evacuation is a precaution because the gas line running through the area has not been able to be turned off yet.
Baby's bladder accidently removed in surgery
A London pediatrics surgeon removed a the bladder of a baby during a surgery that was to remove a hernial sac. The toddler will need to use a catheter for the rest of her life due to the irreversible urinary tract damage according to the Fox 9 News.
The 43-year-old consultant pediatric surgeon performed the surgery on a seven-week-old baby and ultimately removed 90 percent of the baby's bladder. The surgeon, Pierina Kapur, admitted that her actions of the surgery were "inadequete" and not up to the standard of medical practices.
The toddler, now 18-months-old has had many surgeries in order to repair damage and make it easier for the young girl to pass urine.
The hearing on Kapur is still underway and there was no mention of the surgeons future in the article. The article also did not mention if Kapur is still practicing during the hearing.
The 43-year-old consultant pediatric surgeon performed the surgery on a seven-week-old baby and ultimately removed 90 percent of the baby's bladder. The surgeon, Pierina Kapur, admitted that her actions of the surgery were "inadequete" and not up to the standard of medical practices.
The toddler, now 18-months-old has had many surgeries in order to repair damage and make it easier for the young girl to pass urine.
The hearing on Kapur is still underway and there was no mention of the surgeons future in the article. The article also did not mention if Kapur is still practicing during the hearing.
Cruise ship has up to 350 sick passengers
Around 350 people on a Celebrity Cruise line became sick starting on Sunday Feb. 21. The ship had left Charleston, S.C. the previous week on Feb. 15 and now many of the passengers are starting to feel better due to medical outreach, according The Star Tribune. There over 1,800 passengers on board total, but not all of those sick were passengers. Some were also the crew members on the ship.
The symptoms that the passengers and crew complained of were those similar to the stomach flu, along with diarrhea and vomiting. South Carolina had recently had an outbreak of norovirus before the ship left he state, but the illnesses on the ship have not been linked to outbreak on land.
The ship is now heavily cleaning the ship in order to prevent any further spreading of the the illness. The Centers for Disease Control will be testing samples from the those who were sick to find out exactly infected the passengers of the cruise ship.
The symptoms that the passengers and crew complained of were those similar to the stomach flu, along with diarrhea and vomiting. South Carolina had recently had an outbreak of norovirus before the ship left he state, but the illnesses on the ship have not been linked to outbreak on land.
The ship is now heavily cleaning the ship in order to prevent any further spreading of the the illness. The Centers for Disease Control will be testing samples from the those who were sick to find out exactly infected the passengers of the cruise ship.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Entry on Spot and Follows
The two articles that I chose to analyze were both published on the same day about Lindsey Vonn's skiing debut at the Vancouver Olympics. They were published by the Star Tribune on Feb. 17, 2010. The first article is about how Vonn is ready to take the challenge of downhill skiing after a recent shin injury. The second article is about how Vonn won her first Olympics gold despite having her injury.
In the leads, both articles focus on the fact that Lindsey is fighting a bruised shin even after she won her gold medal. The also both state that Vonn will take part in skiing at the Olympics. With this in mind, the two leads do not differ that much with the facts that are in it, but the tone in which the two leads are written in makes the difference with how the article is read. The first story is written to make you worry and have anticipation about what Vonn's ski run is going to be like and the follow up story makes you proud of her for finishing the run in first place despite an injury.
The main news in the first article is summarized by saying how luck has been on Vonn's side as weather has caused rescheduling of many events, including the downhill skiing event Vonn would be competing in. It also states that she is expected to win as many gold medals in all her runs as possible. In the second article it continues to explain how after just one event and winning gold, Vonn will continue to surprise people and be the Michael Phelps of the winter Olympics by winning only gold. The article also states that there was nothing that could stop her, even the pain, from winning her gold reflecting upon the previous article where she said she would have to fight through the pain to win.
The second story really takes a step forward in giving people hope that Lindsey Vonn will go on to win every event that she will compete in in her remaining time at the Winter Olympics. It pulls information from the first article, which caused some fear and doubt in readers, into the second article and used it to create excitement. It also gives the days and events which Vonn will be competing in in the next few days to encourage others to watch, hopefully winning more gold.
The second article does not seem to be a response due to competing organizations. I believe, because Lindsey Vonn is not only a Minnesota native but a Twin Cities native, that the Star Tribune focused on both articles closely to tell her story for Twin Cities readers. It is very likely that some of many readers of the Star Tribune may know Lindsey and having articles focusing on her success in the Olympics will cause them to watch more of her events and find out more about her.
In the leads, both articles focus on the fact that Lindsey is fighting a bruised shin even after she won her gold medal. The also both state that Vonn will take part in skiing at the Olympics. With this in mind, the two leads do not differ that much with the facts that are in it, but the tone in which the two leads are written in makes the difference with how the article is read. The first story is written to make you worry and have anticipation about what Vonn's ski run is going to be like and the follow up story makes you proud of her for finishing the run in first place despite an injury.
The main news in the first article is summarized by saying how luck has been on Vonn's side as weather has caused rescheduling of many events, including the downhill skiing event Vonn would be competing in. It also states that she is expected to win as many gold medals in all her runs as possible. In the second article it continues to explain how after just one event and winning gold, Vonn will continue to surprise people and be the Michael Phelps of the winter Olympics by winning only gold. The article also states that there was nothing that could stop her, even the pain, from winning her gold reflecting upon the previous article where she said she would have to fight through the pain to win.
The second story really takes a step forward in giving people hope that Lindsey Vonn will go on to win every event that she will compete in in her remaining time at the Winter Olympics. It pulls information from the first article, which caused some fear and doubt in readers, into the second article and used it to create excitement. It also gives the days and events which Vonn will be competing in in the next few days to encourage others to watch, hopefully winning more gold.
The second article does not seem to be a response due to competing organizations. I believe, because Lindsey Vonn is not only a Minnesota native but a Twin Cities native, that the Star Tribune focused on both articles closely to tell her story for Twin Cities readers. It is very likely that some of many readers of the Star Tribune may know Lindsey and having articles focusing on her success in the Olympics will cause them to watch more of her events and find out more about her.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
White wins back to back Gold in Halfpipe
American snowboarder Shaun White won gold, defending his 2006 title, on Wednesday night in Vancouver, according to the Star Tribune. White was on top of the podium after the first run with a score of 46.8 out of a possible 50. He sat at the top of the pipe for a minute contemplating if he was going to do his second run after learning he had already won gold. When he went through with his second run he brought his score up to 48.4. An unforgettable victory lap. He donned his dangerous Double McTwist 1260, recently renamed the Tomahawk, in his final run which only Shaun White has yet to land.
Scotty Lango, also from the U.S., won the bronze medal. USA Today reporting that this is the third winter Olympics in which United States has won multiple medals in halfpipe snowboarding. The silver medal went to Peetu Piiroinen of Finlad wtih a score of 45 out of 50, coming in just under Shaun's first run score.
The United States won three more gold medals in the 2010 Winter Olympics Wednesday.
Scotty Lango, also from the U.S., won the bronze medal. USA Today reporting that this is the third winter Olympics in which United States has won multiple medals in halfpipe snowboarding. The silver medal went to Peetu Piiroinen of Finlad wtih a score of 45 out of 50, coming in just under Shaun's first run score.
The United States won three more gold medals in the 2010 Winter Olympics Wednesday.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Minneapolis weary of new parking ordinance
Kare 11 reported on Sunday that Minneapolis is already tired of the new parking ordinance. The City of Minneapolis put into effect last week that there would no parking allowed on the even numbered side of the street on non-snow emergency routes making parking in front of residents own homes difficult or even impossible, if they do not have a driveway on their homes property.
Minneapolis put these new rules into effect because of the large amount of snow seen on the streets. The snow has caused the streets to be more narrow that normal and is a safety measure for emergency response vehicles. The city plans to ticket and even tow cars that violet the rules in the next coming months.
Businesses are also unhappy happy about this decision because of the loss of possible business. Parking near restaurants in the big city now will be more difficult to those traveling from surrounding cities.
The rule will remain instated until April 1 or when the snow levels subside.
Minneapolis put these new rules into effect because of the large amount of snow seen on the streets. The snow has caused the streets to be more narrow that normal and is a safety measure for emergency response vehicles. The city plans to ticket and even tow cars that violet the rules in the next coming months.
Businesses are also unhappy happy about this decision because of the loss of possible business. Parking near restaurants in the big city now will be more difficult to those traveling from surrounding cities.
The rule will remain instated until April 1 or when the snow levels subside.
Teenager sueing pricipal after suspension
The Star Tribune reported that a 19-year-old college student will continue with her suit against her former high school principal. Katherine Evans is now a sophomore in college , but was suspended from school as a senior for posting upsetting comments about her English teacher on the social network Facebook. Evans hopes to have her expulsion removed from her record for the sake of her future.
The former high school principal wanted to have the case dismissed, but the presiding judge dismissed his petition. Evan's and her lawyer are hoping that this will be the first step in gaining more freedom on the Internet and to keep the First Amendment an important factor in American's life.
Evans' postings claimed that she strongly disliked her high school English teacher and that she was being unfair to her with assignments. Fellow students posted comments on Evan's postings. Evans removed the postings a few days after she original posted them, but was no suspended until a few months later.
The former high school principal wanted to have the case dismissed, but the presiding judge dismissed his petition. Evan's and her lawyer are hoping that this will be the first step in gaining more freedom on the Internet and to keep the First Amendment an important factor in American's life.
Evans' postings claimed that she strongly disliked her high school English teacher and that she was being unfair to her with assignments. Fellow students posted comments on Evan's postings. Evans removed the postings a few days after she original posted them, but was no suspended until a few months later.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Progression of Information
The story I chose to analyze was published by the Star Tribune and I found it online. The article is a description of the opening ceremony, and the events that led up to it, of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver of British Columbia, Canada. Overall, the article gives a good description of all the events that happened in the opening ceremony on Friday Feb. 12, but the organization of the article down to to the lead of the article seems to confuse me.
First of all, the lead of the news article is quite poor. It does not grab interest and does not connect with the rest of the article very well, in my opinion. The lead talks about the anxiety that the CEO of the organizer of the Olympic games is feeling prior to the ceremony on Friday is similar to that the athletes are feeling now before they perform in next few weeks of the games. The next two paragraphs talk not about what the ceremony consisted of and how it underwent, but about how Vancouver has worked hard for years preparing for this night. For an article that has focus on the opening ceremony, I believe it would have been more effective to have a different lead and have the first two paragraphs include descriptions of the ceremony. Then after some description, the writer could bring in information on how Vancouver has prepared for the Olympics for the past few years.
Something that the writer did do well in placement, was mentioning the fallen Olympian that lost his life earlier Friday before the ceremony in luge accident. This was placed in the third paragraph of the article among, what I believe, is a poor beginning to an article due to its organization and lead.
The information that the writer chose to use within the entire article, however, is very descriptive and used well. It gives the details about how Canada has taken pride in their natives for the ceremony and both the urban city in which the ceremony took place. The information in the middle and the end of the article is also placed well. The writer talks about those who oppose the Olympic games and how protesters had attempted to block streets during the torches journey to Vancouver. There is also a small part of the article that talks about the speech at that IOC president gave during the ceremony which I believe was placed well in the article, towards the last few paragraphs.
Other than the first four paragraphs, the article is effective in giving description and informing readers of the events that took place on Feb. 12 in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. I believe the article would have been more grabbing by a different lead talking about the a single part of the opening ceremony. Also having more description at the beginning would give the reader a better understanding of what the article was going to contain.
First of all, the lead of the news article is quite poor. It does not grab interest and does not connect with the rest of the article very well, in my opinion. The lead talks about the anxiety that the CEO of the organizer of the Olympic games is feeling prior to the ceremony on Friday is similar to that the athletes are feeling now before they perform in next few weeks of the games. The next two paragraphs talk not about what the ceremony consisted of and how it underwent, but about how Vancouver has worked hard for years preparing for this night. For an article that has focus on the opening ceremony, I believe it would have been more effective to have a different lead and have the first two paragraphs include descriptions of the ceremony. Then after some description, the writer could bring in information on how Vancouver has prepared for the Olympics for the past few years.
Something that the writer did do well in placement, was mentioning the fallen Olympian that lost his life earlier Friday before the ceremony in luge accident. This was placed in the third paragraph of the article among, what I believe, is a poor beginning to an article due to its organization and lead.
The information that the writer chose to use within the entire article, however, is very descriptive and used well. It gives the details about how Canada has taken pride in their natives for the ceremony and both the urban city in which the ceremony took place. The information in the middle and the end of the article is also placed well. The writer talks about those who oppose the Olympic games and how protesters had attempted to block streets during the torches journey to Vancouver. There is also a small part of the article that talks about the speech at that IOC president gave during the ceremony which I believe was placed well in the article, towards the last few paragraphs.
Other than the first four paragraphs, the article is effective in giving description and informing readers of the events that took place on Feb. 12 in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. I believe the article would have been more grabbing by a different lead talking about the a single part of the opening ceremony. Also having more description at the beginning would give the reader a better understanding of what the article was going to contain.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Passengers Caught in Elevator in World's Tallest Building
According to Fox 9 News, 15 passengers visiting the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai were trapped for over 45 minutes on Wednesday. There were many people visiting the tower to go to the observation deck of the newly opened building. The tower has been open just over a month now, reported New York Daily News, but recently shut down after the now widely known elevator incident.
The 15 passengers were rescued, shaken but unharmed, by building staff and rescue crews lowering a ladder down into the elevator itself. I has not yet been determined what caused the elevator to faulty and stop in the middle of its decent. A witness to the incident said that it sounded like "a small explosion."
The Burj Khalifa is currently the world's tallest building standing 2,717 feet into the sky. The observation deck, where the passengers of the elevator were, was the only part of the building that had been open. It has not been announced when the building will reopen.
The 15 passengers were rescued, shaken but unharmed, by building staff and rescue crews lowering a ladder down into the elevator itself. I has not yet been determined what caused the elevator to faulty and stop in the middle of its decent. A witness to the incident said that it sounded like "a small explosion."
The Burj Khalifa is currently the world's tallest building standing 2,717 feet into the sky. The observation deck, where the passengers of the elevator were, was the only part of the building that had been open. It has not been announced when the building will reopen.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bush billboard on display in Minnesota
Along Interstate 35 just north of the Twin Cities in Minnesota is a billboard with former President George W. Bush asking the question "Miss me yet?", reported the Star Tribune. The billboard was produced and put up by anonymous businesses in Wyoming, Minn who feels that Washington D.C. is no longer working for them, but against them and not helping them anymore. According to MinnPost, the billboard is meant to grab attention and cause questioning in a humorous manner.
According the original article, the billboard has taken the internet by storm, the picture getting millions of hits in the past few days due to its local media coverage including Minnesota Public Radio. There has also been some speculation that the picture of Bush has been photo shopped for the advertisement, but this is a unreal rumor.
The billboard is being displayed at time when President Obama's approval ratings are slowly dropping from where they were. President Obama has been in office now for 13 months.
According the original article, the billboard has taken the internet by storm, the picture getting millions of hits in the past few days due to its local media coverage including Minnesota Public Radio. There has also been some speculation that the picture of Bush has been photo shopped for the advertisement, but this is a unreal rumor.
The billboard is being displayed at time when President Obama's approval ratings are slowly dropping from where they were. President Obama has been in office now for 13 months.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Michael Jackson's death still not at justice
The doctor who was with pop star Michael Jackson at the time of his death pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Monday Feb. 8, according to the Star Tribune and Access Hollywood. Dr. Conrad Murray was with Michael Jackson on June 25 when Jackson died of cardiac arrest. Murray posted his bail Monday afternoon in Los Angeles after his plea and was released from jail shortly after being charged. He hopes to continue his medical profession until his court day, but it has not yet be determined if his license will be suspended until after trial.
The Jackson family was present in court when Dr. Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson's death. The family hopes to reach justice for Michael's death. According to Access Hollywood Michael's death was a murder that still remains unsolved.
Dr. Murray could spend up to four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The Jackson family was present in court when Dr. Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson's death. The family hopes to reach justice for Michael's death. According to Access Hollywood Michael's death was a murder that still remains unsolved.
Dr. Murray could spend up to four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Attributions
The story I analyzed was found on the Star Tribune's website and is about two teenagers who have been charged with six counts of murder in a grocery store robbing.
The first attribution in the story was different than we have learned in class. The attribution was put in front of and at the beginning of a paragraph rather than after the first quote is used. The attribution also said that the statement was from a lawyer and that was put before the lawyers name, which I found to be different than what I am used to and saw in class. This was done twice with both quotes that are used in the newspaper article with two different speakers. They are also both very close to one another; one paragraph followed by another paragraph. I think this makes the quote rather confusing to the reader because readers like to know what the speaker said before finding out who they are. I believe that it adds for more excitement to an article not predicting what the speaker may have said.
Although other sources were used when writing this article, none are specifically mentioned. The article says that there four people who testified on the grand jury for the indictments on the defendants, but the writer of the article does not address where they know this information from. Whether it is from the Minneapolis Police Department or if they were at the grand jury when the witnesses testified I am unsure. I believe this article could have had more references and sources named. This is also only in one short paragraph not giving the reader much information about their sources.
The first attribution in the story was different than we have learned in class. The attribution was put in front of and at the beginning of a paragraph rather than after the first quote is used. The attribution also said that the statement was from a lawyer and that was put before the lawyers name, which I found to be different than what I am used to and saw in class. This was done twice with both quotes that are used in the newspaper article with two different speakers. They are also both very close to one another; one paragraph followed by another paragraph. I think this makes the quote rather confusing to the reader because readers like to know what the speaker said before finding out who they are. I believe that it adds for more excitement to an article not predicting what the speaker may have said.
Although other sources were used when writing this article, none are specifically mentioned. The article says that there four people who testified on the grand jury for the indictments on the defendants, but the writer of the article does not address where they know this information from. Whether it is from the Minneapolis Police Department or if they were at the grand jury when the witnesses testified I am unsure. I believe this article could have had more references and sources named. This is also only in one short paragraph not giving the reader much information about their sources.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Australian mom gives son alcohol
An Australian mom gave her 5-year-old son alcohol and caused him to become drunk on Tuesday Feb. 2. The young boy's blood alcohol level was at 0.9 when he arrived at the hospital according to Fox 9 News. The alcohol that the 33-year-old mother, Kylie Eastwood, served her son was home brewed and the majority was ethanol alcohol. Eastwood said that her son enjoyed drinking alcohol and only wanted a drink.
Eastwood is not serving time in jail for serving her son alcohol, but did plead guilty to reckless endangerment of her son. This is not the mother's first run in with the law with alcohol involvement. In July of 2008, Eastwood left her 3 children home alone in order to go out with a friend and drink. She also refused a breath test in 2005 and had her license suspended.
Eastwood, herself, did not take part in drinking with her son and has been abstinent since September 2009.
Eastwood is not serving time in jail for serving her son alcohol, but did plead guilty to reckless endangerment of her son. This is not the mother's first run in with the law with alcohol involvement. In July of 2008, Eastwood left her 3 children home alone in order to go out with a friend and drink. She also refused a breath test in 2005 and had her license suspended.
Eastwood, herself, did not take part in drinking with her son and has been abstinent since September 2009.
Grammy's a big success for the ladies
Beyonce beat her own record by bringing home 6 Grammy's this past Sunday night at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Kare 11 reported that Beyonce previously won 5 Grammy's for her album "Dangerously in Love" in 2005. Taylor Swift also went home with 3 Grammy's after a very successful year at the young age of 20-years-old. Swift triumphed over other contenders Beyonce and Lady Gaga for Album of the Year.
Lady Gaga started out the night by winning 2 Grammy's of her own before performing with one of her idols, Elton John. Gaga performed "Poker Face" before sitting down at the piano with John for her song "Speechless" and John's hit "Your Song"
Although Beyonce won 6 awards, The Kings of Leon took home the Grammy for Record of the Year with their song "Use Somebody". There was also a tribute performance to the late Michael Jackson which aired in 3-D. Performer's included Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and more.
Lady Gaga started out the night by winning 2 Grammy's of her own before performing with one of her idols, Elton John. Gaga performed "Poker Face" before sitting down at the piano with John for her song "Speechless" and John's hit "Your Song"
Although Beyonce won 6 awards, The Kings of Leon took home the Grammy for Record of the Year with their song "Use Somebody". There was also a tribute performance to the late Michael Jackson which aired in 3-D. Performer's included Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and more.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
First Deadly St. Paul fire since 2008 ruled an accident
A man was found dead in an apartment after a fire quickly spread through the unit Monday night. The Star Tribune reported that the 49-year-old, Ka Lee Yang, died was found in the bathroom and had died from smoke inhalation. Yang was the only person home at the time of the fire. Yang's wife had just left to pick up their five children when the fire happened.
According to Fox 9 News, the fire is reported to have started on the units balcony and moved into the living room and the rest of the apartment. The fire investigators are still searching for the reason behind the fire, but has been ruled an accident. Yang's unit was the only one harmed in the apartment of seven other apartment units. The other residents were let back into their units a few hours after the fire was extinguished.
Friday, January 29, 2010
What is lead?
Within a lead in a news article or story is the five W's; who, what, where, when, why and sometimes how. These answer some of the questions that people generally want to know right at the beginning of an article as to catch the readers attention. Generally, leads do not begin with the 'when', but usually comes towards the end of the lead in the possible second or third sentence of the article. The 'when' could be considered as general information that goes within the new story.
Detailed information that should be included in the lead of an article is information about the 'who' of your story. This will interest the readers of the story because people love hearing about others life especially in the lifestyle we lead nowadays. The 'where' is also an important factor in the lead. This is because the closer something is to home, or the more local, the more the audience is going to be interested. If there is, for example, a plane crash in California and there was a resident from the Minneapolis aboard the plane then newspapers may include a story about the passenger from Minneapolis. The 'what' of a story is also something that should be included in the lead because it ties the 'who' into the story and why they are important the article.
If the story that is being written is going to be included in a magazine and may not be straightforward hard-news than the lead may not be as short and simple as one for a newspaper. The author of the article can take more time to introduce what they will be talking about to the reader. The five W's may be left out in for the first few sentences or may even be placed in the second or third paragraph of the magazine article. Writing more feature news allows for the author to be more mysterious in the beginning of their article instead of grabbing the attention of the reader right away because they know that the reader will continue to read the article no matter what.
Detailed information that should be included in the lead of an article is information about the 'who' of your story. This will interest the readers of the story because people love hearing about others life especially in the lifestyle we lead nowadays. The 'where' is also an important factor in the lead. This is because the closer something is to home, or the more local, the more the audience is going to be interested. If there is, for example, a plane crash in California and there was a resident from the Minneapolis aboard the plane then newspapers may include a story about the passenger from Minneapolis. The 'what' of a story is also something that should be included in the lead because it ties the 'who' into the story and why they are important the article.
If the story that is being written is going to be included in a magazine and may not be straightforward hard-news than the lead may not be as short and simple as one for a newspaper. The author of the article can take more time to introduce what they will be talking about to the reader. The five W's may be left out in for the first few sentences or may even be placed in the second or third paragraph of the magazine article. Writing more feature news allows for the author to be more mysterious in the beginning of their article instead of grabbing the attention of the reader right away because they know that the reader will continue to read the article no matter what.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Toyota recalls top selling cars is America
Toyota has recalled multiple models and temporarily halted production those cars due to gas pedal sticking. The company began the recall last week, but stopped production of their cars until they can find a solution for the problem. It has been found that many the gas pedals in certain Toyota car models stick and cause the car to continue accelerating. Toyota is upset that they have to go to such lengths, but in the long run will be safer for their customers and their company.
The recall is not only causing problems for customers in America, but also to car dealerships throughout the United States. Many dealerships have a shortage of inventory because they are not able to sell certain Toyota models. Most of the cars that are being recalled are recent models of the past 4 years.
Toyota hopes to find a remedy quickly for the problem and will offer free repairs to both car owners and to those service shops that do any repairs. Although some drivers are frustrated with the recall, they respect Toyota for being honest and fixing the problem as soon as possible.
For a list of the models that have been recalled please visit Kare 11 News.
The recall is not only causing problems for customers in America, but also to car dealerships throughout the United States. Many dealerships have a shortage of inventory because they are not able to sell certain Toyota models. Most of the cars that are being recalled are recent models of the past 4 years.
Toyota hopes to find a remedy quickly for the problem and will offer free repairs to both car owners and to those service shops that do any repairs. Although some drivers are frustrated with the recall, they respect Toyota for being honest and fixing the problem as soon as possible.
For a list of the models that have been recalled please visit Kare 11 News.
U of M student shot near residence hall
A first year student of the University of Minnesota was shot around 11 Monday night in front of Centennial Hall. The shooting is suspected to be associated with two other crimes that happened on campus around the same time Monday night. According to The Minesota Daily the student who was attacked, Timothy Schumacher was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center shortly after the incident and underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. The student was confronted by two suspects who were armed and attacked the victim.
The victim did not provoke the two suspects and was unarmed. So far no one has been arrested and the University is hoping that they can use security cameras around the attacks to identify the suspects involved in the three crimes.
The other crimes that took place was a robbery of a female student on Huron Blvd. about five blocks east of the shooting and another robbery about a block west of the shooting of two female students. The other victims lost their possessions, but escaped unharmed.
The victim did not provoke the two suspects and was unarmed. So far no one has been arrested and the University is hoping that they can use security cameras around the attacks to identify the suspects involved in the three crimes.
The other crimes that took place was a robbery of a female student on Huron Blvd. about five blocks east of the shooting and another robbery about a block west of the shooting of two female students. The other victims lost their possessions, but escaped unharmed.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Commercial airliner crashes in the Medditerranean
The commercial flight carrying 90 passengers headed towards the Ethiopian capital crashed in the early hours of Monday morning, reported the Kare 11 News. The airliner caught fire shortly after takeoff and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea just off the shore of Lebanon, but the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. So far there have been no survivors found in the search on the sea, but search crews including the U.S. Navy will continue to look for survivors. There have been an uncertain number of bodies found from the waters ranging from a dozen to 20 bodies.
There is no suspected terrorism behind the plane crash and any "sabotage" has been dismissed. The flight had take off into a storm that had been occurring since Sunday and has not been ruled out in a cause of the fire or crash.
Currently, the wreckage is being gathered during the search in the waters. Pieces of the plane have slowly been recovered including items and luggage from on board. Other debris is also washing up on the shores that are also being recovered. The search crews hope to find the black boxes that are within in the cockpit of aircrafts for more answers of the plane crash. Crews are working removing the fuselage from the water in hopes to find more answers and bodies.
There is no suspected terrorism behind the plane crash and any "sabotage" has been dismissed. The flight had take off into a storm that had been occurring since Sunday and has not been ruled out in a cause of the fire or crash.
Currently, the wreckage is being gathered during the search in the waters. Pieces of the plane have slowly been recovered including items and luggage from on board. Other debris is also washing up on the shores that are also being recovered. The search crews hope to find the black boxes that are within in the cockpit of aircrafts for more answers of the plane crash. Crews are working removing the fuselage from the water in hopes to find more answers and bodies.
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