Columbine Still Haunts...

I came across an article on the Newsweek website about two pastors who are still haunted by the shooting's of Columbine 10 years later. It's always heart breaking, challening and interesting to read and re-live the tragedy which took place in 1999. This article was about two pastors who both presided over funerals of Columbine victims, as well as the murderer's.

Reverend Don Marxhausen performed the funeral of Dylan Klebold, who was one of the two shooters in the Columbine massacre. Despite the communities lack of support for his decision to preside over the funeral, Marxhausen performed the funeral any way and says that he regrets the decision ever since.

George Kirsten, who was on his way to Israel the day of the Columbine shooting, came right back to Colorado to be there for the community and perform funerals as well. It tells how he was a former Navy pilot and how this event and massacre at the school triggered a lot of his memories from war.

The article took a different perspective than we typically hear when looking back at this tragic day in history. We usually hear about that day at Columbine and the two students which took the lives of 12 students and one teacher. I really enjoyed this article, although it was hard to read because of the emotions involved, due to the standpoint it took and the two stories that it told. It helps those whom were not directly affected by the shooting to understand the pain and haunting that the event still has on people.

Lightweight Equipment for Troops on Hold

Soldiers in the army are forced to carry so much equipment that it can take a toll on their backs and knees. As a result, the army has agreed to send troops some equipment that is more lightweight. Lightweight bullet proof plates that protect a soldier's chest and back were supposed to be sent out to troops already but there has been a delay. "A team of Army experts went to eastern Afghanistan in early March expecting to begin trial runs of the gear for regular Army soldiers, including a company assigned to the remote Korangal Valley, a harsh and primitive area of eastern Afghanistan where the insurgency has proved especially resilient, and where soldiers regularly set off on multiple-day patrols that require them to hike up and down steep hills and valleys. But the assessment team was ordered back to the United States late last month when its experiment was put off. The delays in the assessment were reported first by Army Times." The analysis of the new equipment will begin again in a month.

There is an article on NYTimes.com tonight putting a more positive spin on the career outlook for college graduates this year. The article mainly concerns business grads, but I believe that for those of us who are interested in journalism, the situation is somewhat relevant.

Steven Greenhouse writes, "The implosion of Wall Street — the vaporization of Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers, the general humbling of investment banks — has not only shaken a generation’s ambitions, but also unleashed them." Top business grads from the most prestigious schools in America are not getting their dream job offers, but Greenhouse notes that some aren't taking it that hard. For them, the denial has become a form of liberation, allowing them to consider new options. A few are even a little relieved.

I admire Greenhouse's creativity in this story. He could have just written a passable "Grads aren't finding Jobs" story and been done. Instead, he found a bit of optimism in a situation which is becoming downright depressing. All of the facts are still reported, but not in the typical, mechanical fashion.

One photo to tell a story...

The last day of class we had a guest speaker from the Naples news press and he showed us some videos pertaining to some of the things we had worked on in class with the audio slideshow. And so instead of paying so much focus to the article, I looked at the one photo they used to go with the story. Our guest speaker talked about how it can take several months to get pictures for a story and and long it can take to write a good story. The article was about a woman who used to be a drug addict, but while being pregnant with her third child, she decided to change her ways and try to kick her habit with an outpatient progam. The picture was only from above the bust and up and she was dressed very professional. In the picture it seems she is in mid-sentence as if telling her story and she does not look like she was a crack addict. I thought it was really interesting how that one picture captured the idea of the whole story. But, it also made me think of how hard this decision can be if you can only use one picture. Whether it took the editor or writer a long time to choose which photo or not, it was nice to kind of see past what is in front of me and realize how much work can go into these stories.

Joe Madden Retires

As John Madden retires this morning, I found a very interesting article on him on the Sports Illustrated website, which is networked by CNN. The first point I'd like to make about the article that drew my attention was the anecdote used in the first six or seven paragraphs. At first, I was left wondering where the story was going to connect with the body, which was Madden retiring, but when the anecdote finished and the writer connected it with his retirement, I sat back thinking what a great attention grabber that was. The one thing about this long anecdote, however, that left me a bit confused was whether or not it was too long? The heart of the story was not reached until well into the article, yet the story continued to hold my attention. I found this to be very interesting.

Another differentn point I noticed about this article entitled Madden's legend in NFL unmatched was that because it was online it was much more opinionated that articles which we read in the newspaper. The writer, Peter King, expressed his feelings towards Madden's retirement quite freely and at one point seemed to PR for NBC despite the fact that when he does this, he makes note of it right after in the article. This challenged my mind to think alot as well.

Lastly, Peter King is an NFL writer for NBC, so why was his article posted on the Sports Illustrated website which is run by CNN?

Don't mistake my criticism and questions for negativity; I greatly enjoyed this article and it helped me to truly visualize and internalize the difference between online writing and newspaper writing. We discussed this difference in class and our book also covered a whole chapter on it, but seeing it had much more of an impact than reading about it from someone else.

I encourage everyone to take a look at this article and note the anecdote and how it led into the story as well as the difference between this and an article in a print newspaper.

Is FGCU's class of 2009 in trouble?

In a recent article posted on the New York Times website, researchers analyzed the job market and what sort of prospects new graduates will face when they enter the work force this year. Is FGCU's class of 2009 in trouble? Researchers say no. Even though the unemployment rate peaked at a 25-year high and employers figure on hiring 22 percent less graduates than last year, research has proven that all hope is not lost for the graduating class of 2009.

The solution? Accept the fact that jobs are limited and your dream job may not fall into your hands just yet. Life-long careers do not have to be the first job you earn, so graduates may end up in a lesser-paid and less-luxurious job than they originally shot for. However, this also doesn't mean do not shoot for your dreams. Just because the country sunk a little, doesn't mean your self-esteem has to follow in its footsteps.

Tea Party Protests

These protests are insane. It's like these people don't remember who was running things a year ago. They are so quick to blame Obama for the Bush administration's screw ups. Do they forget that Bush spent 17 billion a POP for the war? Obama is going to fix what he broke. And how dare they think they can compare themselves to history. The Boston Tea Party was justified. This is not. Obama hasn't raised taxes. And I think that taxing the rich is a good thing. They have enough money anyways. I'm not saying that because I'm not rich. How many of us know the mega billionaires that would be taxed anyways? It won't hurt them. Our nation voted Obama into office. And the ones against him need to let go of their pride and accept that he is running our country now.

Do you have Bedbugs?

I found an article on NPR's website particularly disturbing today. It's focal point was on the resurgence of bedbug infestations across the U.S. My reaction to the wild numbers of bedbugs being found is similar to the feeling I used to get in elementary school after a lice outbreak. Unfortunately it is only 10am and my mind is now playing tricks on me, making me belief that I am itching from bedbugs. This article proves more problematic to my life today than helpful because in their efforts to bring awareness and prevention of a problem, it has created a problem in my mind. You see, bed bugs are not known to transfer disease or cause any other life-altering issue other than being an annoying nuisance. An annoying nuisance is exactly what they have become in my thoughts today. The article tells how virtually impossible in can be to spot a bed bug infestation because they are so small and hide during the day;therefore, one must have night vision to locate the nests. It then explains how they can get into practically anything that would be on or around a bed, such as clothing, sheets, suitcases, etc. Then to put the icing on the cake, the article closes with ideas that are a complete hassle for prevention or extermination. Not only do you have to clean, vacuum and scrub all of your belonging to hopefully rid your home from bedbugs, BUT you basically cannot visibly confirm whether your efforts have been successful!!! Frustrated is not nearly a powerful enough word to express my high-drama emotions for this article as I scratch my back against my computer chair. Flees, lice and other tiny pests I can handle and exterminate, but this bedbug mystery pushed me over the limit. Call me crazy if you'd like but see for yourself at  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103091338

Glenn Beck tearfully advocates secession.

Texans generally aren't the rugged, independent, liberty-conscious folks they once were. Like most Americans, they happily acquiesce to the U.S. government's steady theft of their rights and property via unlawful statutes, programs, and activities.

Unfamiliar with historical or legal details, being largely products of public (i.e., government) "education," today's Texans easily adopt the "politically correct" myths that litter the landscape of American popular opinion. Many don't even know what the word secede means, and believe that the United States is a "democracy" (hint: it's not).

These are the same people who are doing their best to forbid teaching evolution in Texas; the same ones who "[have] accused "liberal New York publishers" of inserting "stealth" homosexual messages into textbooks" and "forced the publisher of another to replace a picture of a woman carrying a briefcase with a picture of a woman baking a cake". I cannot fathom what their ideal educational system would be.

Glenn Beck at least puts a face on this madness. I'm still unsure what exactly the 'economic suicide' refers to - is it the establishment of multilateral financial institutions? is it the bailout? TARP? Are we threatening your constitutional right to whine? Are we taking your guns, Glenn? Are we hurting your feelings?

Somali Pirates

Capt. Richard Phillips was taken hostage on Wednesday by a group of Somali pirates when they took over his ship. On Friday, Phillips tried to escape by jumping into the waters but was promptly recaptured. "Captain Phillips was in the water for a short period before the pirates hauled him back on board, said an American defense official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak about the matter." Somali officials claim that prior to attacking Phillips' ship the pirates had raided another vessel. Currenty, the United States is working on getting Phillips home to his family safely.

Pirates Sell Papers

Looking for some decent news to critique, I came across the CNN.com report by Barbara Starr, "Captain Tried to Escape Pirates, U.S. Official Says." Easy. I was reading that story the moment I read "Pirates."

The attacks along the African coast are not news to me and I realize that pirates are still operating heavily in the Indian Ocean, but I still get more excited to read this story than one about Obama's greeting the Saudi King or even the Michigan shooting. Traditional sea-faring pirates just don't dock in America that much anymore, and in our cinema and literature we are still obsessing over them. I think we may actually miss them somehow.

This is why I believe we can find these pirating stories at the top of news sites and on the front of newspapers. Catching American readers' attention with pirates as bait is like shooting fish in a barrel (sorry). Congratulations to Ms. Starr and her golden goose.

SWORD FIGHT!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30136788/

The attached article above summarizes the tragic story of a 77-year-old grandmother who died Thursday morning in Indianapolis. She either died from a heart attack or from sword wounds. As sad as this is, I couldn't help but snicker at the thought of two grown men, 39-year old Chris Rondeau and 69-year-old Adolf Stegbauer, dueling with swords. Both men are in critical condition and under arrest for attempted murder.
The journalist who wrote the article did a great job of reporting facts. If I were assigned to such a story, I wouldn't be able to restrain a sarcastic remark or two. The matter-of-fact tone, which is expected, makes this article all the more hilarious. The headline grabbed my attention, and I'm glad it did. Its well written and made me laugh.

Link Between Economy and Killings

"Americans are struggling" said criminologist James Alan Fox in the article entitled Some link economy with crime wave; as if we didn't already know this. However, what we don't usually connect are the mass killings which continue to take place and the continuous fall of our economy. The question is should we link the two? If so, is there anything we can do to prevent this death rate when we, individually, don't necessarily control the economy?

After reading this article it really left me thinking about all of the murders, homicides, shootings and deaths that have been taking place. The article stated an undeniable fact that in the past month 57 people have died due to these killings. I've read about the killings, even seen them on the news, but I suppose I simply never took the time to connect the deaths to anything in particular. Now that it has been brought to my attention however, it seems quite plausible that Americans are taking their lives due to this economic drought we find ourselves in.

The scariest part is that this many Americans have died in a month time span, what will it look like as we continue to weather this issue?

American Idol Runs Out of Time

On Tuesday April 7, American Idol's episode slid in the one-hour time slot once again with only eight contestants left in the competition. Adam Lambert, an incredible, captivating Idol finalist was naturally scheduled to perform last because of his breath-taking performances that hook many Idol watchers (like myself). Due to complications with the show's running time, the show ran eight minutes over and after Lambert's performance (which granted him a standing ovation from Simon), he could not receive any feedback from the judges, which could have cost him his position on American Idol. Today on AOL.com's homepage, an article covered the outrage from TiVo watchers who recorded the show but did not get to see Lambert's striking rendition of "Mad World" because of the show's inability to grant him enough time to perform on schedule and be judged afterwards.

This caught my eye because 1) I'm a big American Idol fan; 2) I'm a big Adam fan; and 3) It never occurred to me that TV producers and hosts can make major mistakes (like an 8-minute relapse). I agreed with the article and felt Lambert deserved the same amount of time as every other contestant to sing and be judged because he is that good. Some voters plug off of what the judges think of the contestants and Adam's lack of time could have cost him his place. But, two minutes into the results show, Ryan Seacrest apologized for the technical setbacks and the judges told the audience their thoughts on Adam's brilliant performance. And, to ease his nerves, they told him first within the matter of 15 minutes that he was safe and can remain seated. Looks like major shows like American Idol even have their senior moments.

Coincidence?

The story of the Earthquake in Italy is tragic, but I saw this article on CNN and I can't help but wonder if anyone else remembers doing an AP exercise in class where we read an excerpt from a news article about a scientist who had "unsupported" data predicting an earthquake...?

Are advertisements clouding our reading?

Today, I visited the USA Today website to read about the upcoming NCAA basketball game tonight between North Carolina and Michigan State. When I clicked on the Sports tab on the top of the homepage, the game was the first headline posted on their sports website. When I clicked the article to read about the game's prospects, I was not directly connected to my desired article. Instead, an ad for the Holiday Inn drowned my laptops screen and distracted my attention away from the basketball game. I was planning to write about the game tonight and what the experts say about their estimated outcomes, but I felt this topic was a little stronger. Are advertisements clouding our initial reasons for reading? Will they someday become so available that they will terminate our desire to educate ourselves through daily literature?

After a few seconds of searching, I finally found a way back to the article by clicking a button towards the top of the page labeled "keep reading." This also made me wonder: Do website creators feel readers are so easily distracted by advertisements that we actually lose our will to "keep reading?" Throughout my search for the escape button, the advertisement for the Holiday Inn became more elaborate and digitally intriguing. Is this an advertisers' initial goal? To distract readers with a product rather than allow them to continue their news education? I'm not really sure this argument is plausible, but it's definitely something I pondered.

13 Dead, 4 Injured

42 year old Jiverly Wong killed 13 people and severely injured 4 on Friday. The shooting occured at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York where immigrants were preparing to take their American citizenship tests. Wong himself was an immigrant from Vietnam who lived in Johnson City, New York.

The article states, "Armed with the two handguns and wearing a green jacket, the gunman came out of the rain through the glass front doors of the center, entering a reception area where he encountered two secretaries. He said nothing and shot both. One slumped dead, but the other, Shirley DeLucca, pretended to be dead, and as the gunman walked on she crawled to a desk and called 911." After shooting his gun at others, Wong shot himself. Police are still trying to find out the reasons for his actions.

Terry Schiavo Memorial

As I was reading Wednesday's News-Press, I read an article that was sort of a blast from the past. Tuesday, March 31 was the four year anniversary of the death of Terry Schiavo, a Tampa Bay woman who was in a vegetative state for the final years of her life. It was interesting to read because I remember watching the court battle in the news as it happened. But what really struck me about the article was how one-sided and biased it seemed to be in favor of continuing Terry Schiavo's life, even four years after her death. One quote in particular verified this, "Sitting just inches from her bedside at the hospice were flowers, he said, soaking up water Schiavo was not permitted to drink. Children, Pavone said, were arrested for trying to bring bottles of water to a dying Schiavo." The article doesn't mention the counterargument anywhere, which annoyed me, since I was a supporter of ending her painful life, since she was not likely to recover.

NYTimes.com Slideshow

I went looking for a slideshow today, trying to find comparisons to our own projects. The NYTimes.com report, Ghassan Elcheikhali: The Tolerance Teacher, is a presentation similar to our own multimedia projects. Lasting 2:11 min, the audio is from a single individual, and the slides are all stand alone with no next.

The report differs from our own in that the photos and audio are intended to provide seperate information. One is not directly reenforcing the other. While Elcheikhali tells of his experience as a Muslim interacting with other cultures in New York, the photos in the presentation give the audience a glimpse of Elcheikhali's world as the principal of a Muslim school in Queens. I enjoy the way this report uses the visual and auditory to reveal two facets of the same story: the Muslim and the resident of a multicultural community.

Advertising in Banana Suits

On the front page of the Bonita News-Press this morning there is a photo of a young man in a banana suit. Of course, I had to read into it after seeing such a photo. It turns out to be an article on sign wavers. It was interesting to me to see that businesses do benefit from the unique advertising. I always wondered if it actually brought in business. It seems to be a job that takes patience, and a tolerance for heat. I was surprised to see that there was a quote from a man in Cape Coral that actually complained saying that it "distracts drivers." If the advertising is working for the businesses, and it's cheap, then why not?

Newspapers and the Credit Crisis.

Ironically, some newspaper closures may be contributing to the credit crisis that killed them.

Slate.com writer Daniel Gross points out that the bankruptcy of many major newspaper firms were caused by financial, and in one case criminal, mismanagement.

The actions of the top executives in other bankrupt newspaper companies were criminal only if you consider gross financial stupidity and recklessness to be jailing offenses. Who loads up newspapers—cyclical companies whose revenues are in secular decline thanks to the disappearance of classified advertisements and the rise of the Internet—with tons of debt at precisely the wrong time?

Sam Zell's purchase of Tribune Co., which owns The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, was made with a credit line of more than $12 billion - his Machiavellian financial move received its counter stroke in the form of an $800 million annual interest bill. Unable to meet the expenses, Tribune Co. began to hemorrhage low income investments, i.e. filing the very newspapers that put them into debt for bankruptcy protection.

This is hardly an isolated case. Daniel Gross goes on to list several other companies which purchased newspapers for a fraction of their cost with the help of cheap credit only to default when they were unable to meet their financial obligations. Sound familiar?



Gross does not mention whether the $12 billion loan Sam Zell took out to purchase Tribune Co. was packaged as cheap credit ala CDO's. If it was, then these newspaper failures are in some ways macrocosms (or microcosms) of the housing market crash - only far stupider. Whereas homeowners were tricked into adjustable rate mortgages, Sam Zell, Sun-Times Media, and everyone else who bought into the newspaper industry with cheap credit are victims only of their own idiocy.

I'm only sharing Daniel Gross's tangible distaste. Blind greed and stupidity are to blame. The sheer metrics of some of these deals are hard to digest. The $12 billion loan that Zell took out to buy Tribune Co., obviously one of the "factors beyond our control", created an impossibly large debt in a time where newspaper revenue is suffering across the country. That Zell only put forth 4% of the purchase price should have raised a red flag, but it didn't.

Gross sums up the motivations and destination of Zell and others:

All newspapers—all print media—have been hit hard in this recession. All face an existential crisis and may ultimately face the prospect of bankruptcy. Those whose owners saw papers as assets to be flipped, leveraged, and stripped are already bankrupt.