Wednesday’s Blog on Blogs!

Three Ways To Pair Strawberries And Rhubarb

Recycling Our Way to a More Sustainable Future

Harry Potter Stars Hit Pembrokeshire Beach

Dancing with the Stars

Pack Better with Inflatable Packaging

Blog For Friday May 1st!

At least 7 hospitalized in US with swine flu; CDC official says deaths are likely
By SARA KUGLER , Associated Press
Last update: April 28, 2009 – 3:22 PM

This article gave an updated report on the recent pandemic outbreak of the swine flu in the United States. As of Tuesday, 64 cases of the flu have been identified within the U.S. with the majority of the cases said to be found in New York. The article indicated that the largest outbreak of the virus was found at a Catholic school in Queens, New York. Because this article largely spoke about the virus being found, and spread, within New York schools the story immediately hit a little closer to home. The fact that the virus is in the United States and is spreading also generates interest to the story because people’s lives, and children, could be affected if the flu virus continues to spread. This story affects the awareness of all because of its proximity (even if cases are largely in New York, the fact that it has spread to the U.S. is concerning to all). The story contains human interest and human interest.

No Racial Gap Seen in ’08 Vote Turnout
By SAM ROBERTS
Published: April 30, 2009

This article addressed the 2008 Presidential election and the remarkable turnout of voters, specifically seen in the rise of ethnic voters. While a large reason for this turnout is attributed to the candidacy of Barack Obama, many other factors helped to raise the voting participation last year. For example, the article stated that the number of eligible Hispanic voters has increased 21 percent since the last election. I chose this article because I thought this story fit nicely with Friday’s assignment. We have been reading and discussing the importance of reporting many different viewpoints and races. We have also been learning just how powerful language can be, especially when using words to describe minority groups. I thought this article was written in a way that deterred any uneasiness about using racial terms to describe voting demographics.

Katy’s Friday 24th Blog!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/health/policy/24cancer.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Advances Elusive in the Drive to Cure Cancer
New York Times
This article talked about the search for a cancer cure that has been in the works for several decades. When President Nixon was in office, his goal was to cure cancer by the bicentennial: year 1976. Since 1976 has come and gone, however, cancer still remains a top killer. Now, President Obama made the same vow years later. He wants to increase funding for cancer research so that a cure can come soon. I liked this article because it was informative and personal. I think that most people can relate to a cancer story because most likely they know someone who died of cancer, beat cancer or simply is fighting cancer. This article talked about the progression the medical field has made throughout the years but also about its failings, specifically in its advertising. For example, many people believe that if cancer is treated early it can be cured. Cancer can be prevented, delayed and in remission, but it can never be completely cured. This article used the story of Phyllis Kutt, which I think, made the story of human interest. For her, cancer has been an ongoing fight and even a surprise. No warning signs could have predicted her case. This aspect may appeal to readers as well because cancer is a scary thing, and truth be told, not a whole lot is known about it.

Friday April 3rd Post

National:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/02/muslim.minister.defrocked/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/02/montana.butte.crash.report/index.html

World:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/02/nazi.guard/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/04/02/north.korea.rocket/index.html

Local:
http://www.startribune.com/local/42323397.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/42256762.html?elr=KArks:DCiUocOaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Friday Blog Article:
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/42273197.html?elr=KArksUUUU
This article talked about the Craigslist killer, Michael Anderson, who received a life sentence without parole for the murder of Katherine Anne Olson. My mom called me when this story was first reported last year expressing her concern since my older brother readily uses Craigslist, as do so many other college aged students. The article made me upset because of the proximity of the murder and because this young woman was lured into a trap set up by a seemingly innocent babysitting ad on Craigslist. I live only twenty minutes from the attack so the story hit close to home, literally. Stories like this cannot help but attract viewer’s sympathy and concern. After all, Katherine Anne Olson was only 24 years old and was shot to death by a 20 year old boy without any remorse. Sometimes it feels good to read the follow up to shocking stories because it gives the reader some solution, however sad it may be. For me, I was interested to find out who was behind the murder and what his penalty was. A sense of justice can be nice to see in situations like this. Even though I would prefer to never hear tragic stories like this, I am nonetheless glad to see that justice was served and the Craigslist killer is caught and behind bars for life.

Blog 6!

News Blog #6 : Due Friday 13th

World:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/10/us.navy.china/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/10/thai.boat.body/index.html

National:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/10/madoff.plea/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/10/multiple.organ.removal.tumor/index.html

Local:
http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/41053452.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DU
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/41032642.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/10/haleigh.missing.florida/index.html

All I want is Haleigh, says dad of child missing 30 days

After searching for 30 days, five year old Haleigh Cummings is still missing from her home in Florida. The girl was determined to be missing in the night by her father’s seventeen year old girlfriend who lives with the family. Immediately, this information draws a lot of attention and doubt from readers and consequently makes the story appeal to our interests. Because the case is still in investigation readers may continue to follow the story in order to find out what has happened. I chose this article because it is a suspicious case and also because the link provided video feeds of interviews and even a tour of the house in which the disappearance occurred. Websites are now becoming a popular mediated source of information that newspapers must rely on in order to keep their reading audience’s attention. In general, I would also say that the format of the internet leaves room for more creativity than can be generated in newspapers. News websites have to provide video images, still images and easy transitions via hyperlinks in order to compete for our attention.

Hello World!

News Blog for Friday, March 6:

World:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/washington/03prexy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/world/asia/03shelter.html?th&emc=th

National:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/03/04/us/AP-Barbara-Bush-Surgery.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/us/politics/05gray.html?ref=us

Local:
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/40715837.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/40690447.html?elr=KArks:DCiUocOaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-spnfl0305,0,5898249.story
Survivor: Football players lost at sea took off lifejackets

According to the sole survivor of a boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico, three people are still missing at sea, two of them NFL football players. Nick Schuyler was found Monday after the fishing boat he was on with three friends capsized. According to the article, between two and four hours after the boat was overturned, three of the four men took off their life jackets and willingly floated out to sea. While searches continued throughout the week in hopes of finding the three missing men, investigators say the situation looks grim. Nick Schuyler was rescued after clinging to the overturned boat for more than 46 hours. Thick with dehydration, fatigue and hypothermia, it was estimated that if Nick was not found he wouldn’t have made it past ten more hours.
This article appealed because of its unusualness, its celebrity factor and simply for its unanswered questions (like what happened after the three men drifted from the boat?). When I was reading this story I was puzzled to see how easily the three missing people gave up hope. I wish the article could have answered more questions as to how everything went down and why the missing men gave up so quickly. Because there was a survivor from the wreck, these answers will hopefully be answered in a follow-up story to come. If I were to interview Nick, once he has recovered, I would ask him about the details leading up to the wreck and immediately after. Were the four men separated? What were they thinking at the time? Was there any dialogue between the men about taking off their lifejackets? Why were they out fishing in a storm?

Blog for Friday 2/27

National:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/us/25desks.html?th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/us/25death.html?th&emc=th

World:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/world/asia/25afghan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/world/asia/25pstan.html?th&emc=th

Local:
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/40055777.html?elr=KArks:DCiUocOaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

My Article:

Police and others are taking a plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics.
By VADIM LAVRUSIK, Star Tribune
Last update: February 24, 2009 – 11:56 PM

This story, about plunging into freezing MN lake water to raise money for special Olympics, caught my attention by its creative leading paragraph. I also have friends who are planning on taking the plunge this year and are currently raising money for it. Because of this, this story had a personal appeal. The story is set in MN and thus appeals to a local, proximic audience. The story also starts out with a capturing lead:

Burnsville police detective Andrea Newton spends her days working the cold streets to track down suspects in cold-hearted crimes. But on Saturday, her job will get even colder as she takes the plunge into Lac Lavon Lake.

The author uses the image of cold streets with cold crimes and links it to cold water. The article does a nice job of summing up the main W’s of the story. Within the first two paragraphs the who, what, when, where and why are all answered sufficiently. The third paragraph, which is a quote, supports and aids the story. The article continues to highlight the additional backup information by talking about the effects that the economy will have on raising money. The article ends with a positive and hopeful prediction of what the event plans to raise. I also really enjoyed the picture image. I feel cold just looking at it.

2/20 Blog

World:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/world/asia/18afghan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/world/europe/18italy.html?th&emc=th

National:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us/politics/18policy.html?th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/business/18sbux.html?th&emc=th

Local:
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/39586312.html?elr=KArks:DCiUocOaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

New R.N.C. Chairman Wants a ‘Hip-Hop’ Party
by Michael Falcone
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/new-rnc-chairman-wants-a-hip-hop-party/?nl=pol&emc=pola1

This article sparked my attention right off the bat with its funny title. As I began reading the story I thought that the article followed some of the key features we have been discussing this week in class. The article immediately begins with a quote lead: Soon after his election as chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele pledged to “bring this party to every corner, to every boardroom, to every neighborhood, to every community.”
I thought that the transitions were smooth and rather whitty as well. Within the first 2-3 sentences the who, what, when, and why were answered. The content of the article gathers attention simply for its whitty style. The fact that a Chairman of the Republican party uses the words “off the hook,” gathers attention immediately. The article was full of supporting text with a quote indicating what Mr. Steele plans to do with the Republican party image. Steele talks about a G.O.P. that is conservative and rooted in principles yet one that appeals to the “urban-suburban hip-hop settings.”

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