Jagoda's Journalism Blog

News Log # 32

2010-06-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/us/13sailor.html?ref=us

Article: Teenage Sailor Is Rescued From Her Damaged Boat

Summary: 16-year old Abby Sunderland set out to sail around the entire world- alone. This past Saturday a French fishing vessel rescued the California teenager from her crippled sail boat in the Indian Ocean. “She got out of her vessel with the clothes on her back, and we are just really excited and ecstatic that Abigail is in safe hands,” her father, Laurence Sunderland said. “She was in good spirits. She talked to her mother.” Abby had been stranded since Thursday when the mast on her boat collapsed and knocked out her satellite communications. In an interview with "The Today Show", her father stated he was proud of her and would let her try the voyage again. Abby set out of the Marina del Rey in L.A. on January 23rd, trying to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe. The record was previously held by her brother, Zac, at age 17.

Conclusion: It is ridiculous that Mr. Sunderland would allow Abby to do the same thing that almost had gotten her killed again. Maybe he thinks that just because his son had successfully circumnavigated the globe, his daughter can too. I feel like Abby felt pressured to live up to her family expectations even if she wasn't ready to complete such a treacherous journey.

News Log # 31

2010-06-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/04/business/04lawsuit.html?hp

Article: Lawyers Warned Wal-Mart of Risks Before Bias Suit

Summary: Six years before the drug store behemoth was sued for gender discrimination, they hired a prominent law firm to analyze their vulnerability to such a suit. The law firm found many gender preferences in pay and promotion in the chain of stores and urged the company to do some basic things in order to avoid being sued, such as creating specific goals to promoting women and minorities. The 1995 report said that women working at Wal-Mart earned less than men in several job categories, with men in salaried jobs earning 19 percent more than women. In 2001, seven women filed a law suit on behalf of all women working at the company. The largest retail company in the world has denied any gender discrimination. After the lower courts ruled the case to proceed as class action, Wal-Mart has plans to ask the Supreme Court rescind the class certification this summer.

Opinion: It is horrendous that even in the year 2010 there is still gender discrimination against women. What's even more disturbing is that Wal-Mart already knew they were discriminating, so they hired lawyers to determine their risk of being sued six years before the seven women came forward. Even a seemingly reliable and family friendly store like Wal-Mart cannot be trusted. They may seem to be trying to put the "best" person in the position (a man) so there service looks better, but instead they are viewed as backwards and biased.

News Log #30

2010-05-27T05:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/business/27bugs.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1274962020-QV8CznyoZ3AmbWF7vnCSFg

Article: In E. Coli Fight, Some Strains Are Largely Ignored

Summary: Over the past two decades, the main focus for food industries and the government has been a virulent strain of E. Coli bacteria, known as E. coli O157:H7. They have been ignoring six rarer strains of this toxic bacteria. those other strains are now emerging as a serious threat to the food industry. In April, romaine lettuce tainted with one of them sickened at least 26 people in five states, including three teenagers who suffered kidney failure. Although the federal government and beef and produce industries have known about these strains, they have done very little to prevent it. For three years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been debating whether to make selling ground beef with these six less known E. coli strains illegal. Now with the severity of the outbreak in April, they are reconsidering their consensus. Meanwhile, beef and produce industries are doing their best to keep the food bacteria free.

Opinion: The fact that such major companies are ignoring something as important as public health is deplorable. How can the U.S. Department of Agriculture just sit around and watch Americans get extremely sick as a result of their poor evaluation? It is time to reassess their previous observation and make stricter laws about what can be sold. Healthy Americans are vital to keep this country going.

News log # 29

2010-05-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Article: The 3 Facebook Settings Every User Should Check Now

http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/01/20/20readwriteweb-the-3-facebook-settings-every-user-should-c-29287.html?src=me&ref=technology

Summary: This past December, Facebook made some bold and controversial changes to the privacy settings on their website. The internet behemoth used to be only available to college kids. Now, it seems, they desire to become more competitive with open privacy sites such as Twitter. During this time of transition Facebook posted a "transition tool" on their homepage in order for users to update their privacy info. If you ignored this and opted to go with the recommended settings, then you should take a look again. By doing this you gave Facebook the right to publicize your private info. Everyone should immediately revise their settings and focus on areas such as who can see the things you share (photos, status updates, videos, etc.), who can see your personal info (where you live, job, school) and what Google can see (keeping your data off the search engines). This privacy glitches shouldn't be missed and corrected by every Facebook user immediately.

Response: Right after reading this article I altered my privacy settings on Facebook. I never knew how many corners they cut just to gain more. These types of articles always interest me because I feel like they affect me directly. I never think what other people (people I'm not friends with) can see when I post a new status about what I'm doing this weekend. Everyone should take into consideration what they post on Facebook because you never know who might be viewing it, especially with these new privacy changes.

News log #28

2010-05-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

Article : Man Is Charged With Aiding Suicide Online

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14suicide.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Summary: Over the past few years, William F. Melchert-Dinkel, a 47-year-old husband and father from Faribault, Minnesota, has been posing as a young female nurse named Cami online. He visited sites and chat rooms that were pro-suicide. Melchert- Dinkel urged people to take their lives and "techniques" on how to do it. Investigators have said that the male nurse had an "obsession with death and suicide" and "loved the chase". He is being charged for two aiding two known suicides. One was in Britain in 2005 and another in Canada in 2008. This case brings up many legal issues, some even including the First Amendment. First, many states have laws against aiding suicide, but they don't include instances when the person is across the country from you and when words, instead of pills or guns, are used to promote this atrocity. Regarding the limits of speech, can you blame someone who shares thoughts with people that are already considering suicides? The fact that it is over the internet is also an issue because the most vulnerable people are usually found online seeking attention or answers.

Response: In my opinion, it is completely awful that a person could urge another human being to end their life. It's sick that individual you go to work with or hang out with can be committing silent murder. Also, regarding the fact that there are pro-suicide chat rooms (similar to pro-ana (anorexia) chatrooms) out there is disturbing on another level. Who creates these type of things? I recently read another article about people that watched another person commit suicide on a webcam. I think that someone needs to put a stop to this immediately. Thankfully, there are some groups that help people dealing with suicidal thoughts, such as To Write Love On Her Arms and Papyrus.

News log # 27

2010-05-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Article: Teenage Insults, Scrawled on Web, Not on Walls

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/us/06formspring.html?pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me

Summary: This article talked about how much impact the newest social network website, Formspring, has on teenagers' lives. Most people post invasive and sexual comments or questions on others' Formsprings. The catch to this new phenomenon is that you can post as many nasty things as you want for one reason: it's anonymous. Many guidance counselors and parents are noticing teenagers' addiction to Formspring. They have observed that the kids find it interesting to hear what someone usually wouldn't say to your face. While this may seem like all fun and games, Alexis Pilkington, a 17-year old from Long Island committed suicide in March after receiving many nasty comments. According to Quantcast, more than 28 million people visit the site each month.

Response: In my opinion, Formspring is a total waste of time. Yes, I admit that it is sometimes entertaining to read other people's ( I don't have one ) after a while the posts get old and you become disgusted from the things your supposed "friends" write. Then again you will never know if that person who wrote that you have ugly teeth is your worst enemy or your best friend. The thing with anonymity is that it is extremely cowardly. If you really feel that way about someone you should be able to own up to it. Hiding behind your computer shows that YOU are the one that is self-conscious and insecure and by writing mean comments on other people's Formsprings, you make yourself feel better. Also, when people complain about all the mean comments they receive, they should know that when they make a Formspring they are basically asking for it. Once you receive that first mean comment you begin to crave reading more and more to see what everyone thinks of you. Formspring is an unhealthy, and sometimes dangerous, way of expressing yourself. Next time, own up to your beliefs or keep them to yourself.

News log #26

2010-04-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Article: Schools in New Jersey Plan Heavy Cuts After Voters Reject Most Budgets

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/education/22schools.html?hpw

Summary: After 58% of districts' budgets were rejected by voters this past Tuesday (the most in 35 years), school officials need to look at the future and see what happens now. They will most likely have to lay of hundreds of teachers, increase class sizes, eliminate sports teams and AP classes. As a result of the lack of financial aide the schools are receiving because of Governor Christie's new plan to reduce state aide by about 5% because of the 11 million deficit he needs to make up, the schools need to make up the difference by increasing property taxes of residents. The voters became angry and felt that "enough is enough". The rejection of the budgets results in school officials trying to prepare another plan to present to their town councils immediately. At Teaneck High School, students marched around their football field for one hour protesting the budget's defeat. Many other schools and superintendents feel apprehensive about what's to come in the future.

Response: In my opinion, the Pascack Valley District is very fortunate that the budget passed. While it may seem that budget rejections aren't near our area, the town of Hillsdale rejected their school budget. On the other hand, while we may be very lucky that we won't be sitting in 30-student classes next year, I see why some towns may have rejected their school budgets. Their property taxes are already high enough and with another raise, people may not be able to afford them. Also, Governor Christie may seem like an evil man for taking away state aid, but the state of New Jersey has an $11 million dollar deficit to close. How are we supposed to get out of debt (and prevent from going deeper in it) while spending more? This is a very complicated issue and I, myself, don't understand everything about it. It is unfortunate for some schools that will need to make severe teacher cuts because class sizes will grow and even some sports teams may be eliminated. I think people should just realize that money doesn't grow on trees and we have to get out of debt before we can spend more.

News log #25

2010-04-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/world/europe/11poland.html?scp=1&sq=polish%20president&st=cse

Article: Polish President Dies in Jet Crash

Summary: Lech Kaczynski, Poland's president, and dozen's of the country's top political and military leaders were killed on April 10. The group was traveling to the site of a Soviet massacre of Polish officers during World War II in West Russia. The pilot tried to land in a thick fog, missing the runway, and getting caught in some treetops about half a mile from the airport. Besides that fact that the accident killed a large portion of Poland's government, the crash also happened at the moment when Poland was finally forgiving Russia for the massacre of their elite officer corps at that same exact place 70 years ago. The Russian crew at the airport warned the pilot of the plane not to land because conditions were dangerous, but unfortunately the plane continued to descent anyways. The mourning period of the Poles was similar to the one when Pope John Paul II passed away five years ago. Candles and flowers covered the outside of the Presidential Palace.

Response: Since I was born in Poland and my family follows Polish traditions and customs, this issue really hit home for me. Such a tragedy was unexpected and it caused turmoil to the entire country. Not many people hear about Poland in the news, but as a result of the tough times in their past they overcame, when Communism affected all lives, the country should not only be honored now during just a tragic moment, but all the time. Hopefully, this catastrophe won't knock the Polish people off their feet for too long and the country will be standing proud again soon, but never forgetting the day when so many people were killed.

News log #24

2010-03-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

Article: How Privacy Vanishes Online

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/technology/17privacy.html?src=me&ref=homepage

Summary: Many people are sharing so much online, through Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, that people could put all the pieces together and even find out the person's Social Security number. They share everything from birthday greetings school and work gossip to photos of family vacations, and movies watched. Maneesha Mithal, associate director of the Federal Trade Comission, says, "Technology has rendered the conventional definition of personally identifiable information obsolete. You can find out who an individual is without it." People often have tight privacy control settings on their Facebook profiles, but that may no longer be enough. Now even what your friends say to you (referring to your school, gender, interests) can be accessed and read. This may reveal tons about a person. Jon Kleinberg says it best, "When you’re doing stuff online, you should behave as if you’re doing it in public — because increasingly, it is.”

Opinion: In response to this article, I think it is absolutely imperative that everyone is be careful of what they say on the internet. Now, more than ever, what pictures you use can be used against you when applying to college or for a job. Besides that scenario, hackers can now even access your bank account if they hack into the system. Being safe and cautious on the internet should be a top priority for everyone.

News log # 23

2010-03-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/kyleighs_law_requiring_decals.html

Article: Kyleigh's Law requiring decals for N.J.'s teen drivers is upheld by judge

Summary: A new law has stated that new teen drivers have orange decals on their vehicles so it is easier for police to identify them. This law is to be effective on May 1. Some people disagree with this like attorney Greg Trautmann, who has filed a lawsuit on behalf of his teen son and nephew against Kyleigh's Law that will require teens with learner's or exam permits or provisional licenses to display the stickers on their license plates. Trautmann thinks the stickers will make the teens become targets for not only unfair police treatment (because of age discrimination), but for pedophiles and stalkers too. There is also a Facebook group against the law called New Jersey Teens Against Teen Driving Restrictions and Kyleigh's Law. The founder of the group fears for his little sister who is going to be getting her permit in the fall. He says, " I don't want her driving around with a sticker on her car that labels her a teen driver. I think it's dangerous for her. I don't think a sticker on a teen's car will change how someone drives."

Response: I completely agree with Trautmann and the Facebook group creator. I think it is completely unnecessary for a teen to have to put a sticker on their car. This will in no way protect them against car accidents. If a person isn't abiding the driving laws, the cops should pull them over no matter what their age. Just because someone is a teen doesn't give the police more reason to give them a ticket. Not only is this age discrimination, but also a potential danger when concerning sexual predators. This sticker is basically a flashing red sign calling any pedophiles to come and follow the car. This law will not save lives, but put them in jeopardy.

News log # 22

2010-03-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/in-obesity-epidemic-whats-one-cookie/?em

Article: In Obesity Epidemic, What's One Cookie?

Summary: When Michelle Obama recently launched her "Let's Move" campaign, she spoke about childhood obesity. She said that parents should urge their kids to "make small changes that add up". These changes can be anything from walking to school or skipping dessert which lead to significant weight loss over time: a pound every 35 days or 10 pounds a year. While this method may give parents of obese children a glimmer of hope, it's misleading and incorrect. The person who gives up sweets may see a quick change in their weight, but scientific studies show that the body's behavioral and biological adaptions, reducing any benefits of an effort to cut back on junk food. While this may sound negative, there is still a hope that small changes will help slim down the obesity rate in America. Scientists find that if someone makes small changes, eventually over time they will increase whatever they are cutting back on. For example, if a person gives up 2 hours of TV each week, they will increase that number each week. This news will hopefully stop people from throwing their hands up in the air and saying "I give up".

Response: In my opinion, it's beneficial that the people know what they are doing to their bodies. If they think that not having that extra cookie after dinner will help them lose 50 pounds, then they need a reality check.Anyone trying to lose weight should also take into account exactly how much they want to lose. If you just want to get rid of that extra flab on your stomach, drastic measures aren't necessary. On the other han, if you want to lose 50 pounds, then you should consider a healthy diet (not just giving up cookies) and exercising on a daily basis.Many of my family members and friends have tried to loose weight, but gave up after a week. Michelle Obama's campaign will hopefully be the step in the right direction, but people should also take exercising into account. If you sit on the couch without that bowl of chips, but don't hit the treadmill, you shouldn't expect to see results instantly.

News log #21

2010-02-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/dining/24robots.html?em

Article: Just like Mombot Used to Make

Summary: At Carnegie Mellon University, professional Paul Rybski and a couple of graduate students unveiled their latest creation. After two years and help from over 17 staff members, they showed a robot with a 20,000 laser navigation system, sonar sensors, and a camera that functions as its eyes. This bot delivers snacks and fulfill food orders. Besides making snacks, the robot was made to see how robots interact with humans. They also can act as good-will ambassadors and salesmen for a more automated future. The robots feature stoves and any other objects that are needed to make the food. These robots were made before such as the Omelet Maker Robot in Switzerland in 2008.

Conclusion: In my opinion, it's great that these students are coming out with such innovative ideas. Although it may be weird to have your food cooked by a robot at first, it becomes a benefit in the future when we're all too busy. Hopefully people don't take advantage of such tools and only use them absolutely necessary as these robots are definitely very expensive.

News post #20 (Haiti Day)

2010-02-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2010/01/call_for_journalists_in_haiti_to_remain.php

http://worldfocus.org/blog/2010/02/10/as-journalists-continue-to-leave-haiti-hopelessness-persists/9630/

Journalists need to remain objective even when faced with covering a tragedy. The Society of Professional Journalists have a major concern when it comes to how journalists report on what is going on Haiti. They have issued a press release stressing the idea that the reporters there need to stay out of the stories they are covering. The organization says that even in such a time of disaster it is still the journalists' responsibility to remain objective. Kevin Smith, the president of the society, says, "I think it's important for journalists to be cognizant of their roles in disaster coverage. "Advocacy, self promotion, offering favors for news and interviews, injecting oneself into the story or creating news events for coverage is not objective reporting, and it ultimately calls into question the ability of a journalist to be independent, which can damage credibility." The ability to distinguish the difference between participant and observer in Haiti is crucial to remaining neutral when covering such a horrific incident.

Another issue involving journalists in Haiti is the debate whether they are doing more harm than good. The supply of resources is small and all that they have must used on earthquake victims. The New York Times and Washington Post each sent a staff of 10 people to Haiti to cover the story. A writer for the New Republic, Noam Scheiber suggests that journalists in Haiti are "mooching off supplies intended for earthquake victims" and describes the news sent back to America about what is going on "redundant".

On the other hand, many people are wondering if the journalists will continue to cover what is happening on the unfortunate island. Many reporters are pulling out and leaving Haiti. The country is still in desperate need for relief effort, but without news coverage how will we stay updated on what is happening? Peter Slevin, of the Washington Post, says, "“Haiti is tumbling headlong through a crisis that has not begun to abate, with evidence everywhere that current relief efforts are falling short.” Despite the difficult living conditions there, hopefully journalists will be able to endure and continue to cover the disaster without giving up hope.

News post #19

2010-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/02/health/AP-EU-Britain-Medical-Journal.html?_r=1&em

Article: Vaccine- Autism Study Is Retracted

Summary: This past Tuesday, a major British medical journal, The Lancet, retracted an incorrect study that the vaccine for mumps, measles, and rubella is somehow related to autism. BMJ, a competing medical journal of The Lancet said,"'The arguments were considered by many to be proven and the ghastly social drama of the demon vaccine took on a life of its own.'' BMJ was outraged about how the theory was never proven and should have never been published.Ever since this study was published a couple years ago British parents have been avoiding the vaccine and the rate of measles has been increasing.

Conclusion: In my opinion, this casts a very poor light on British medical journals such as The Lancet because it shows how truly unreliable they can be. Despite the fact that they retracted the study, it has affected so many parents who were wary about getting their kids vaccinated in order to avoid autism. Now that it has been retracted hopefully people will learn to research issues like these more thoroughly before releasing them to the public.

News post #18

2010-01-21T05:27:00.000-08:00

Article: Foreign Languages Fade in Class — Except Chinese

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/education/21chinese.html?hp

Summary: According to a government- financed survey, thousands of public schools have stopped teaching foreign languages in the last decade. Juxtaposing this fact, American schools are in a rush to start teaching chinese in their schools. While some schools are paying for the classes without help, some are receiving funds from China. The chinese government is sending teachers from their country to teach chinese in american public schools while paying part of their salaries. The reason that schools are getting rid of their language programs (except for Chinese) is because it's very expensive to get a Spanish teacher compared to a chinese teacher.

Opinion: In conclusion, it's unfortunate that languages like Spanish and French are not going to be taught in schools. It's imperative that american students become exposed to all languages not just the "cheapest" ones. On the other hand, the chinese language is very important because of how many jobs will soon be outsourced to China. Let's hope that schools raise enough funds to teach their students a variety of languages. In a certain case, schools could take a poll and see which languages are most popular and eliminate the least popular ones.

News post #17

2010-01-14T05:37:00.000-08:00

Article: Democrats Fight to Hold Crucial Seat: Kennedy’s

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/us/politics/14massachusetts.html?hp

Summary: The race for the late Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate is becoming tighter and tighter in Massachusetts. Martha Coakley, the Democrat candidate who previously a shoo-in for the spot, is having trouble staying ahead of Republican candidate Scott Brown. Polls are showing that the race that was originally thought to be predictable is becoming more and more interesting. The crucial 60th vote in the Senate house could have huge impacts on the health care bill if a Republican wins. Democrats were shocked to see how close the race was when the numbers were released because Coakley had clearly more money, recognition, and support. Former president is coming to aid Coakley in her campaign this Friday in hopes of putting her back on top. The elections are to be held this coming Wednesday.

Conclusion: In my opinion, it's ironic that Coakley thought she could win easily and now her conceitedness is coming back to get her. Since this election is especially crucial to the whether or not the health care bill will be passed, hopefully everyone in Massachusetts will go out and vote. Coakley should take into account that fact that she may not win and step up her game. If Scott Brown wins, the Democrats' seat in Senate will be gone and will have huge impacts on the health reform bill.

News post #16

2010-01-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/city-says-911-trials-will-cost-200-million-per-year/?hp

Article:

City Says 9/11 Trials Will Cost $200 Million a Year

Summary: The office of Mayor Bloomberg has released how much the trials of the 9/11 terrorist suspects will cost. $200 million will be spent each year for these upcoming trials. They will be the most expensive security operation for a city in recent times.

The mayor outlined the costs and sent a 2 page letter to the directors of the Federal Office of Management Budget. Most of the money will go to security-funding. The rest will be sent to equipment related expenses. Bloomberg said these costs were realististic and neccesary for the protection of New York City.

Conclusion: In my opinion, the trials shouldn't be held in New York because we can never be sure what the terrorists could be planning next. For the safety of New York and its people the trials should be held somewhere else. The funds for security are outrageous and if it was held somewhere else, a majority of the money would be saved.

News post #15

2009-12-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Article:That Tap Water Is Legal but May Be Unhealthy

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/us/17water.html?hp

Summary: 35 years ago a law was passed to protect the purity of Americans' tap water. That Safe Drinking Water Act only covers 91 potentially-harmful chemicals in water while there are actually more than 60,000 chemicals. Government and independent scientists have found that some chemicals cause cancer and other life-threatening diseases yet they haven't added one chemical to those regulated by this federal law since 2000. As a result of the government not updating the Safe Drinking Water Act, more than 62 million Americans have come across dirty water according to an analysis done by The Times. One example of the government trying to cover up the dangers of our water occurred in Los Angeles when the city covered the surface of a reservoir with black plastic balls that covered the lake from the sun. This was done in order to prevent carcinogens from forming in the water and leading to cancer. The directors of this project came under attack by residents of L.A. The people of America, especially in the poorer parts, are becoming outraged that the government isn't protecting such a simple privilege: clean water.

Opinion: In my opinion, it is absolutely necessary for the government to step up and take care of this issue. With such serious diseases going around like the Swine Flu, the only thing we need is a problem with our water. They need to update the Safe Drinking Water Act and include all the harmful chemicals in it. Meanwhile, they should inform people around the country to be cautious about drinking tap water. The American government should make this issue their top priority before it gets too out of hand.

News post # 14

2009-12-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

Article: Police Shoot and Kill Man Outside Hotel in Times Square

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/police-shoot-man-at-hotel-in-times-square/?hp

Picture: Gunshots shattered glass of a store called Broadway Baby in Times Square.

Summary: Early Thursday morning when the streets of Times Square were filled with shoppers, a plainclothes policeman shot down a 25 year old man. The cop had confronted the man who was demanding tourists to buy CDs from him. The man was armed with a loaded Mac-10 semiautomatic pistol and had shot first when he was asked about what he was doing. The unidentified man was giving shoppers CDs, writing their names on it, and demanding they pay the $10 fee. According to the policeman, the vendor got in people's faces and intimidated them to buy his CDs. When the police sergeant approached the man to see if he had a tax stamp that allowed him to sell CDs, the man started running in the other direction toward 46th street. The cop started chasing him and the man opened fire. Eventually, the cop fatally shot the man. Medical workers came and took the man to St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, where he died.

Conclusion: In my opinion, it was very fortunate that the cop was in the right place at the right time. Who knows how many could have been killed if the cop hadn't approached the individual who was aggressively trying to sell CDs. This also goes to show that shootings don't always have to happen in the middle of the night in back alley. Someone with a gun can be anywhere, even in broad daylight in the middle of such as busy place like Times Square. You have to be aware of your surroundings and always make sure you stay away from suspicious-looking people. Everyone was so lucky that the policeman got there in time and prevented anyone else from getting hurt.

News post #13

2009-12-03T14:17:00.000-08:00

Article:

City to Shut 4 Schools for Poor Performance; More Closings Expected

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/nyregion/03closings.html?hpw

Summary: On Wednesday, The New York City Department of Education (NYCDE) announced that they will be closing four NYC schools whose performance has been lackluster over the years. The soon-to-be closed schools include a large technical high school in Brooklyn, one school in the Bronx, and two schools in Manhattan. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has already shut down 91 schools since 2002 during his plan to overhaul the city's school system. The deputy schools chancellor for strategy, John White, believes that school's administration is doing their best, but that the school simply doesn't "have the capacity to prepare students for the future". These four schools have been receiving a majority of F's and D's since 2002. The schools have been trying to turn around their performance for the better recently by hiring a new principal and working with parents, teachers, and students. These school closings need to be approved by the Panel for Educational Policy before officially closing. Students that are enrolled in the closing schools have the option to remain there until the closing is approved or transfer.

Opinion: It is a pity that New York City schools are closing,but if they can't prepare their students to be successful in life then they should be closed. Instead of taking such drastic measures by closing them maybe the NYCDE can continue trying to improve the schools and finding the root of the problem why they aren't living up to their potential. Other city schools may now become overcrowded due to less schools in the area and learning there might suffer as well. Panelists on the Panel for Educational Policy need to look at all the problems the school closings could cause before making their final decision.

New Post #12

2009-11-24T05:10:00.000-08:00

Article: ‘Twilight’ Dawns Bright at the Box Office

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/movies/23box.html?_r=1&ref=movies

Summary: The inexpensive sequel to Twilight, New Moon made $140.7 million in tickets in North America this weekend. This high profit was surprising especially since Summit Studios predicted the movie would make around $100 million. New Moon made $70 million on its opening night on Friday with 50% of moviegoers under 21. Only 20% of the audience was male.

The sequel to Twilight came in as the 3rd best movie opening ever behind The Dark Knight and Spiderman 3. The movie that previously held the title was Pirates of the Caribbean 3. The profits of New Moon were so beneficial to a small studio like Summit because it only cost them $50 million dollars to make. This was different compared to The Dark Knight, which cost $185 million, and Spiderman 3, which was funded by $260 million. The audience that drove such high ticket sales for New Moon was mostly female. The next movie in the series, Eclipse, comes out June 30th.

Opinion: This is great news for the studio that such a small budget movie is making huge strides in the movie business. It's great for fans because since the movie is making so much cash in the box office, the movies will continue to come out. There's still two left in this series written by Stephenie Meyer and the next one comes out in June. Although the movie is predicted to make more money, the studio is worried that since the Twilight fans that call themselves "Twi-hards" already saw the movie, who else will go out and see it? This may be a problem, but these movies are known to get repeat customers. I know myself because last year when Twilight came out, I saw it four times.

Glass Houses Article

2009-11-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

Summary: In this article, Jack Shafer describes all the things that Glass did to break the journalism code of honesty. He says that he never doubted Glass until Forbes revealed the truth. Before the scandal, publications in England and Singapore used Glass's "facts" to write some of their own articles. When a topic from one of Glass's articles is searched on Google there are results that come up. The catch is that all these results are published AFTER Glass wrote his articles. Also, editors never called Glass bluff because he was "too good to check". They were entertained by his out-of- this-world stories. They also had respect for him since he was willing to accept criticism and often pulled all-nighters to fix his articles. The only part he didn't seem to be willing to tweak was the sources. The New Republic did have a fact-checking department, but Glass received sympathy because of how much he contributed. Shafer says," Anyone can doubt a bad writer. It's the good ones who need watching."

Opinion: The fact that even a editor for an esteemed magazine like Slate was fooled by Glass shows that he truly was a great writer. The problem was that because everyone thought he was so great, no one bothered to check up on him. No one doubted him. Major magazine companies in Europe believed in him so much that they even based their own articles on his. Too bad they didn't know that instead of reporting, Glass was writing fiction. Glass made sure there were no holes in his stories, even going as far as creating a website for one of the companies he made up. The quote at the end of Shafer's article shows that people in journalism automatically put down the writers that don't show flair and color in their articles. On the other hand, they always trust the writers who do show these things. You always assume that the man who has everyone laughing at the meetings and shooting out great articles is perfect. What you don't do is look under the surface of this perfection.

News post # 11

2009-11-19T15:18:00.000-08:00

Article: Sounds During Sleep Aid Memory, Study Finds

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/science/20sleep.html?ref=us

Summary: Science researchers, while trying to figure out how the sleeping brain works, have found that when people listen to something over and over while they sleep their memory is enhanced. This is very beneficial especially when a person is trying to cram for a test, memorize lines for a play, or learn a new language. Scientists at Northwestern University performed a test on several people that included them seeing pictures, taking a short nap while the sounds that the pictures they saw made were played in the background, and then being quizzed on what they saw before they fell asleep. The people that took a nap did better than those who didn't. They had no recollection of any sounds being played during their nap.

Conclusion: This new information may cause differences in people's lives. Scientists always urge humans to get a good eight hours of sleep each night. Now people will actually realize how important sleep is. The human brain does many significant things while asleep like store and organize memories. Researches also feel that because of this new discovery SAT scores may increase. Hopefully people will know realize that instead of cramming for that history final till 2 AM, they should get some sleep.

News post #10

2009-11-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

Article: Can You Believe Your Eyes?

Summary: This article talks about how ever since the beginning of photography, pictures have been retouched in some way or another. The first photo to ever be retouched was in the 1860s when Abraham Lincoln's head was stuck on top of Senator John C. Calhoun's. Another example was a picture of Soviet dictator, Stalin. There was a man next to him who later was arrested. After the man's arrest he was wiped out of the picture. While some photographers might do this for their own advantage, nations, such as Iran, retouch photos to make their countries seem stronger. When Iran photographed a shooting off of their missiles, only 3 out of the 4 went off. They later retouched the picture so it looked like all 4 went off, to make their military seem stronger. Magazine covers, such as TV Guide and Newsweek, also retouched the bodies of their cover stars.

Response: In my opinion, it is completely wrong for these so called "professionals" to be readjusting photos to their liking. Photographs are supposed to be real-life pictures that capture what actually happen. When photographers mess with what was caught on camera, they alter history. Since photo retouching started in the beginning when photography first started, who knows how long it will continue especially with the advanced technology.

News Post #9

2009-11-02T05:17:00.000-08:00

Article: Is 2 Much Txtng bad 4 u?

Summary: This article talks about how teenagers are texting in ridiculous amounts. The statistics have been rising ( the average teen sends and receives 2,300 texts per month) and it worries doctors because texting mania leads to suffering grades in school, anxiety, and sleep deprivation. There is also the problem of teens texting while driving. One sophomore teen girl noticed painful cramping in her thumbs after texting insanely for the past few months. Doctors can't tell yet if these thumb cramps will cause permanent damage. Lastly, some teens go over their texting limit and parents need to go as far as confiscating their phones and creating strict texting times.

Conclusion: In my opinion, teen texting has gotten out of control. The old worry was that teens would drink and drive. Now people are scared that their kids will get into a car crash because they were texting while driving. Times have changed and now teachers even tell their students not to use "texting language" in their papers. With teens texting so much their grades suffer. Parents have to monitor their young kids and make sure that their homework gets done so when they get older, the problem doesn't get out of control. Kids shouldn't have phones in 3rd grade because this opens up the door for future issues.

News Post # 8

2009-10-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

Article: New Meaning for Night Class at 2-Year Colleges

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/education/28community.html?em

Summary: Some colleges are holding classes that start at 11:45 p.m. and end at 2:30 a.m to accommodate the hundreds of students that applied. Bunker Hill Community College offers these courses for people who work during the day and are trying to get a better job. There are also courses as early as 6 a.m for people who want to come before work. They are aided by unlimited coffee, cookies, and an instructor who actually does push-ups before class to get pumped up. Other things that occur as a result of the boom of students applying are new parking lots being built, extra space being renting, and many students wait-listed. College professors say that the recession has really hit hard and many people who are out of work are desperate to get a better education.

Response: In my opinion, these new classes, although scheduled at a difficult time, are better alternatives to getting wait-listed or not getting any education at all because there's not enough room. Although colleges are doing their best to increase space, sometimes that's not enough so they need to add classes. If someone is really passionate about their education or they simply want a better job in these tough times, they can arrange a different sleeping routine in order to do so. It's a great idea to have unlimited coffee and for all the students to support each other throughout the wee hours while they're learning. If this is what it takes to educate more people, then it's a great solution.

News Post # 7

2009-10-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-dinosaur22-2009oct22,0,1635147.story

Article: Fossils of North America's smallest dinosaur identified

Summary: Fruitadens haagarorum, North America's smallest dinosaur, weighed only 2 pounds and was 28 inches tall. Its fossils were unearthed in Colorado and are now on display in the L.A. Natural History Museum. It lived in the Jurassic Period among many other huge dinosaurs. This creature was thought to be a fast runner. The actual remains were discovered in 1970, but it was only recently that they were identified and named a species. Scientists think that this dinosaur was an omnivore.

Response: In my opinion, this is great that scientists have discovered this new species because it shows that the stereotype that all dinosaurs are gigantic is proved wrong. Scientists may have disregarded small fossils before whereas now they may see a link. This discovery will hopefully provide more answers that archaeologists all over the world wish to know more about.

News post # 6

2009-10-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/14/us/AP-US-Model-Altered-Photo.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ralph%20lauren%20model&st=cse

Article: Model in Altered Ralph Lauren Ad Speaks Out

Summary: The model Filippa Hamilton (whose body was photoshopped in a Ralph Lauren ad) speaks out about her rocky time while working for Ralph Lauren. She says her contract with the company was not renewed because she was "too large". Hamilton claims that they became angry when she couldn't fit into their clothes anymore and fired her. Before this incident, she had considered Ralph Lauren her second family because she had worked with them since she was 15. She was let go in April but only decided to go public when the picture of her surfaced. The 5'10 model weighs 120 pounds and is a size 4. Apparently, this was too big for the company and they usually look for size zero or size two models. Ralph Lauren released a statement that the reason for the model's firing was because she disobeyed her contract in multiple ways. Regarding the re-touching of the picture, the company takes full responsibility and say Hamilton is "a beautiful and healthy woman".

Response: In my opinion, the statements that Ralph Lauren is releasing are simply just to try to clean up their image. If they thought Hamilton was "a beautiful and healthy woman" then why did they feel the need to re touch her waist and make it look as wide as her head? Instead of making her seem gorgeous in the picture, they made her look like a bobble head. Modeling agencies should acknowledge the fact that the average size of an American woman is size 14. The images they create of pin-thin models only ruins the self confidence of women everywhere especially teen girls who think that in order to be considered beautiful, they must look like the model in the magazine. It was a breath of fresh air when in Glamour magazine they featured a woman who had some fat in her stomach area. The media was set ablaze and everyone was wondering who this woman was. The media should set a spotlight on women like this instead of the imaginary figures that are created by computers. I thought modeling was all about being photographed in person not created on Photoshop.

Website Response

2009-10-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

Website: http://www.cjr.org/

The Columbia Journalism Review had many useful tools available for both professional and student journalists. The column Language Corner provides a unique perspective on how to approach an important issue in the news. There are no pictures but the article is extremely effective and draws the reader in. Another interesting aspect of this website is the archive. You can go back in time all the way to 2004 and read about the issues that were happening not so long ago. The articles are separated into categories, such as politics and a special column called Behind the News, so it’s easy to quickly know what each one is about. There are over thousands of articles all with a witty title that draws the reader in. Lastly, I found that there is a multimedia section featuring both audio and video news. Readers can learn about what is going on in the news in a cool and entertaining way. Videos range all the way from new projects that the Columbia Journalism Review is planning, such as Climate Central which helps improve climate coverage, to discussions about trends in the journalism world. In conclusion, this website is both interesting and useful at the same time.

News post # 5

2009-10-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/nyregion/07contract.html?_r=1&hpw

Article: In Schools, New Rules on Snacks for Sale

Summary: A new vending drink machine contract in New York City was set that in elementary and middle schools drinks can't be more than 10 calories per eight ounces. In high schools, they have to be less than 25 calories per eight ounces. Artificially sweetened drinks or soda aren't permitted to be sold. CC Vending is currently trying to get the rights to drink machines. Another new regulation is that there can only be one bake sale per month held. Marketing officials are also trying to get a healthier contract for snacks as well. The regulations would include: snacks can't be more than 200 calories and 200 milligrams of sodium. Patrick J. Sullivan, a member of the health policy panel, disagrees with these new contracts saying, “If they we're so concerned with student health, why would they focus on this instead of making sure that all students have a basic gym class?” Since New York schools' contract with Snapple has expired at the end of August, vending machines are

Opinion: My opinion about this article is that although it seems like there is something drastically new happening to the lunch program, this has been around for quite a while now. We already have healthy choices at lunch, such as salads and wraps, so this new vending machine policy is nothing new. The thing is that it is up to the students to make the healthy choice and buy one slice of pizza instead of their usual two.

News post # 4

2009-10-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/01/us/AP-US-Tenn-Newborn-Snatched.html

Article: Newborn Snatched from Tennessee Home Missing

Summary: A blood-covered woman knocked on Eric Peterson's door and begged him to help her find her children since a strange woman had broken into her house and stabbed her with a kitchen knife. The victim, Maria Gurrolla, had rushed to a neighbor's house to get help after being stabbed, leaving her children at home. When she got back her infant son and toddler daughter were gone. The intruder posed as an immigration officer who was there to arrest Gurrolla.It is not known whether Gurrolla was an immigrant, but she had lived in Nashville for 10 years. Eric Peterson was able to get Gurrolla's 3 year old daughter safely back home, but there was no sight of the newborn baby. Police are trying hard to find the abductor of Gurrolla's baby.

Opinion: In my opinion, I think it was really stupid that after Gurrolla was attacked, she left her children at home to get help for herself. While it's normal to think that she was in panic, she should have thought about the lives she created rather than herself. Police should find out more background information on Gurrolla so they will know if she was an unfit mother. Hopefully, the abductor will be found and the baby will be returned safely to his home.

News post # 3

2009-09-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/health/policy/23fda.html?_r=1&ref=us

Article : Flavors Banned From Cigarettes to Deter Youth

Summary: The sale of flavored cigarettes has been banned by federal health officials on September 22.

Officials think that when cigarettes are flavored they appeal more to teens because they seem less dangerous. Popular flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and Camel Exotic Blends are now banned from being sold in stores. Studies show that every day 3,600 kids and teens start to smoke with 1,100 of them becoming daily smokers. Many store venders are confused whether the ban includes cigars and cigarillos as well. F.D.A agents visited shops to clear up these issues and said that all tobacco products, such as Black & Mild cigars, are forbidden as well. Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said that the ban of flavored cigarettes is covering cigars and all other flavored tobacco products too. The F.D.A. hopes that this ban will help to not attract kids to cigarettes.

Opinion: This ban is almost all good news. Although it may seem beneficial, people who previously smoked flavored cigarettes are now switching over to cigars according to Brian M. Mulholland, general manager of Georgetown Tobacco in Washington. Also, now that the products are banned, teenagers may feel rebellious and want to break the law by illegally purchasing flavored tobacco products. Many studies show that it is simple human nature to want what we can't have. Ann Brampton of Annebrampton.com said,"Wanting and pining sometimes bring us some kind of perverse pleasure." While this ban may seem like terrific news for now, later on when rebellion sets in flavored cigarettes may even be a bigger problem.

News post #2

2009-09-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/mtv-awards-marred-by-performers-comments/

Article: MTV Awards Marred by Performer’s Comments

Summary: When America tuned in to watch the Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 13th, they expected plenty of drama. They didn't expect for Kanye West to humiliate Taylor Swift. When Ms. Swift went on stage to make her acceptance speech after winning Best Female Video for her video "You Belong With Me", she was shocked. After facing off against such tough competitors ( Beyonce, Single Ladies) it was a huge accomplishment for a country singer like Taylor. In the middle of her speech, Kanye West jumped on stage, took Taylor's microphone, and said the following: “I’m really happy for you,” he told her. “I’m going to let you finish. But Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.” He left a stunned Taylor Swift on stage while the audience booed him. The award show quickly went to a taped comedy segment. At the end of the show, Beyonce ended up winning the night's biggest prize, Video of the Year. She invited Taylor Swift on stage to finish her rudely interrupted speech and Taylor happily obliged. Kanye West took to his personal blog to apologize to Taylor, but has yet to reach out to her personally.

Opinion: In my opinion, during the VMAs you have to expect the unexpected. This is nothing new for Kanye West as during the 2007 VMAs, he had a fit when he lost all the 5 of the awards he was nominated for and he didn't get to open the show (Britney Spears did instead). Kanye stated that he "would never come back to MTV again". Perhaps, if he stuck to his words, Taylor Swift wouldn't have been publicly humiliated. The extremely rude thing Mr. West did set blogs , Facebook, and Twitter on fire. Everyone wanted to know what had happened between the two performers if they didn't see it for themselves on TV. What was a lack of good behavior, turned into a publicity stunt for Kanye West.

Journalism Road Trip

2009-09-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

When you walk through Pascack Valley in between classes, the only thing you focus on is not tripping down the stairs. You fail to notice all the little things in the hallways or in classrooms. Yesterday, Mrs. Slockett announced that we would be going on a "road trip" throughout the high school during our journalism class. She wanted us to be observant journalists and pay careful attention to the things we usually wouldn't. Being observant in the world of journalism is very important, and this trip showed us how to be.

There are many aspects of Pascack Valley that we,as students, don't see on a regular day to day basis. When you are walking through the main stairwell doors you don't realize that the door squeaks when opened. Normally, with all the students nosily chatting in between classes you wouldn't be able to hear much of anything, let alone a door squeaking. Next, while running to your next class you don't bother to stop and look in the trophy cases and see what our school has accomplished. Did anyone even know we have three NDA trophies, all of them 1st place? Lastly on the first level, when you are busily trying to find your friends so you can sit with them in the auditorium, you don't have time to spot the sign on the door that says, "no food or drink."

When Mrs. Slockett took us upstairs to show us the huge windows overlooking the school courtyard many students said to each other, "We have a pond?" or " Since when are there such big windows in our school?" We all stared mesmerized by the sight of something as simple as a courtyard. Some of us barely have time to wander down that hallway or others don't even know it exists. Another special treat was when we traveled into the New Science wing. Although some of us have our lockers in the newest addition, we pay no attention to the cool features located there. There is a tube going around the whole wing to show how fast sound travels and a model rollercoaster.

In conclusion, a crucial part of being a journalist is paying attention to the small details and always trying to uncover more information. Being observant is so important because if you don't know specific details, then your articles are broad and don't give your readers a true sense of what is happening. During this road trip, I learned that if you aren't paying attention for even a second you could miss the thing that ties your whole article together. Applying all the things I learned during this fun class activity, I can pay closer attention and analyze the details I would normally disregard. Like the saying goes, you should always "keep your ear to the ground" especially if you are a journalist.

News post #1

2009-09-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/10/health/AP-US-MED-Swine-Flu.html?_r=1&hp

Article: Studies: 1 Dose of Swine Flu Vaccine Works

Summary: This Thursday scientists found out that only one dose of the Swine flu vaccine will be necessary instead of two, which they first expected. This means that people will have to go to the doctor's office only two times this year for the flu shots. Once for the winter flu and once for the Swine flu. U.S. health authorities urge people to get their winter flu shot now to get it out of the way so when the Swine flu vaccine arrives in Mid-October, they will be all set. Lastly, the article states that these vaccines should be taken very seriously especially considering how dangerous Swine flu is.

Opinion/Response: My opinion about this article is that it is very good news for the American public. Now instead of having to go to the doctor's office for three different times, they will only need to go twice. Also, there will be plenty of supplies of Swine flu vaccine left over. The U.S. has ordered 195 million doses of the vaccine so most people will be protected. I think it's very important that the American citizens listen to the authorities and make sure they get to the doctor's office early to get the winter flu vaccine first. Waiting around is the wrong choice for your own health and others' as well.