Extra! Extra!

9/10/2012

This week, it is your turn to choose a current event article for the class to read in the future. Pick an article that interests you – both context-wise and stylistically. Paste the link to the article in the body of your response. Then, tell me the author’s main idea and a few things the author did in his/her writing that you enjoyed. (Remember, 10 sentence minimum)

**REMINDER - your posts should include comments on the author's style, techniques, use of diction, literary devices, etc. Think STYLE.

Kyle Blake

9/10/2012 12:40:26 pm

http://digitaljournal.com/article/215799/Hotel_On_Moon_to_Open_By_2012
This article that I found explains the new invention of a hotel on the moon. The hotel will contain three rooms. The rooms will be small enough so the astronauts can bring it up to the moon safely. The pod will look to be in the shape of a molecule. Three nights is the minimum stay at this hotel, which costs about 4 million dollars. This hotel is not for just anyone, not only in the sense of money, but the guest has to be able to go out into space with no problem. THere is an wight week bootcamp to be able to stay at this hotel. I picked this article because it has always been a dream of mine to leave Earth, even if it is just of an hour. I want to see what the Earth looks like and what the galaxy is like outside of our atmosphere. I also want to feel what it is like to be weightless. Being on the ground is boring. Why stand when you have the ability to float around. The author of this article had a great description of the hotel and had useful information on the hotel, like the cost and the size of each room.

Camille Glasow

9/11/2012 10:34:15 am

I think in the near future space travel like this will become more affordable and common for even normal people to try out, as space travel advances

Amanda D

9/11/2012 11:20:06 am

Although I may never come up with the needed 4 million dollars to sleep on the moon, the adventure sounds like it would be exhilarating. This even reminds me of the under water hotel. It's amazing the technology and inventions these days!

Mrs. E

9/11/2012 03:10:54 pm

This is wild! I can see your interest, Kyle.

Haley Krivensky

9/12/2012 02:04:50 pm

Kyle, you are crazy! Pictures of space are cool and beautiful, but I would probably have a panic attack if I ever tried to go to the moon. Leaving Earth (possibly ending up in a black hole or some unknown place) doesn't scare you even a little bit?

Zach Antonio

9/12/2012 09:53:53 pm

I think this just goes to show how mankind has an inner desire to explore. To see unxplored territory, and conquer it. We always want to move on.

Alyssa Ferreone

9/13/2012 09:15:57 am

I think I would be terrified to ever get on a space shuttle. Probably will not visit the moon but its cool to read about

Victoria Marino

9/13/2012 09:18:44 am

It has always been a dream of mine to travel into space one day. Although it does not seem too realistic, this would be an amazing journey for people to be able to travel to the moon one day and see what life is like off of the earth. The cost is up there, but i agree with Camille that the prices will go down eventually when it becomes more common for people to travel to the moon.

Jusitn Leone

9/13/2012 11:23:35 am

Just the thought of going to the moon is insane, not to mention spending three nights in a hotel there!

Katheryn Byrnes

9/13/2012 11:41:25 am

That is really cool. I would love to tell someone that I am spending a night in space. I hope that as space travel advances so would the cheapness of spending the night. It might even be easier then it is today

Alex Mardis

9/13/2012 12:29:36 pm

That sounds awesome. I wonder how comfy the beds would be, considering you have to strap yourself into it in order not to float around and bump into things.. i think

Andrew Lynch

9/13/2012 12:52:13 pm

just looked it up, 1 acre of propertyon the moon only costs $18.95. its decided, im building my own hotel on the moon. ill figure out the transportation to get there later.

Christina M

9/13/2012 01:16:30 pm

I have not heard much about this hotel on the moon however im sure I would enjoy reading the article. That is crazy that someone would pay that kind of money to stay on the moon but then again if I had the money I would probably do it just to say iv been on the moon. I wonder if in the future people will permanently live on the moon.

Katie Mitchell

9/13/2012 02:48:12 pm

This is crazy! If only I was a billionaire I would most defiantly want to live on the moon.

Camille Glasow

9/11/2012 10:32:11 am

http://www.ctpost.com/default/article/Man-s-handwritten-note-from-World-Trade-Center-3853815.php
This article regards a 5 word, 2 number note written by a victim of the world trade center collapse just before the building crumbled on top of him and died. Not until recently did the note finally reach the man's family after forensic investigation. This article is relevant to the nationwide anniversary of September eleventh and really goes to show that 9/11 will never be forgotten and the consequences of this tragedy are still effecting people to this day. While this note was a huge surprise to the family, and they got to have one last piece of him to hold on to, it is very sad because now they know he had been suffering with his coworkers before his tragic death. September 11th is not just a day in history to remember and pay respects for victims, but a reminder to the family and friends of loved ones who died in the attack. For countless Americans this day will forever haunt them knowing this terrible act of terrorism unexpectedly took the lives of the people they loved. the note is currently in the 911 memorial museum, and is a very special and rare artifact. It truly shows the pure anguish people like this man suffered before their death. Although we know people did suffer in the attack, the note is the only artifact that displays the voice and thoughts of a victim at the time of the attack.

Lauren Barry

9/13/2012 08:28:55 am

I find this article to be completely different than any other 9/11 article I have ever read. This article really caused me to think about just how much the families of 9/11 victims have had to face over the past eleven years.

Meredith

9/13/2012 11:32:41 am

That was so well put Camille! I saw this on the news, it must be so tough on the family to know that their father/husband suffered.

Meghan Giannettino

9/13/2012 12:44:17 pm

Camille this is such a sad article. And it's amazing that they found the man's note.

Jackie Ortiz

9/13/2012 01:13:47 pm

This is an amazing article! Reading something like this brings out different emotions, and just shows how that tragic day lives on. I couldn't begin to imagine how this family must feel.

Amanda D

9/11/2012 12:11:22 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/10/us/illinois-chicago-teachers-strike/index.html
Teachers of the Chicago school district, some employed over thirty years, have gone on strike; the first since 1987. Over much deliberation, time and effort, the union members have not yet come to an agreement regarding evaluations, benefits and more with the negotiators. However, agreements was made in association to pay. Although a deal was close to being finalized this past Monday night, the union refused due to the lack of discussion regarding evaluations, benefits and such. After going on strike, approximately 350,000 students had to struggle to find a day care that could replace the time they attended school. Josephine Hamelton Perry, 30 year teacher of the Chicago public school system claims that it "will not be a major concern." What baffles me the most is the fact that the United States unemployment rate has gone to 8.1% and these teachers are still asking for more. In an economy like today's, it is not likely to ask and receive more than usual from a job when many people are jobless. Although I am only 17 and in a much different position than a teacher, I understand how lucky I am to have a job. Unlike the teachers of chicago, I am entirely greatful I can obtain a job under these circumstances. The article above, although was made nutral, provides many details why the chicago strike could be left untreated for a while.

Mrs. Elbakry

9/11/2012 01:08:28 pm

It saddens me, as a teacher, that these educators have lost sight of why they entered the profession - the kids. No teacher goes into teaching for the money...it is to share his/her passion for learning and help cultivate the future minds of our world. At least that's why I'm doing it. :)

Kyle Blake

9/12/2012 01:22:22 am

I saw this on the news the other day. I wish we had no school because our teachers went on strike.

Dan K

9/13/2012 01:08:19 pm

I actually am glad that this did not happen to us. Last year at the end of the school year, a lot of students were complaining about the early winter storm and power outage taking away our summer and February vacation. The teachers at any school need a very good reason to go on strike. Money is not a decent enough reason to stop the upcoming school year from starting!

Dan Mott

9/13/2012 08:11:21 am

Yeah, Amanda I saw this on the news the other day. It's sad to see that the Mayor of Chicago and the Teacher Union couldn't come to an agreement, but hey... I would be happy if I was a Chicago student.

Brennen Diaz

9/11/2012 02:01:11 pm

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/11/real-estate-exec-recalls-time-on-pile-at-world-trade-center-after-sept-11/
On September 11, 2001 more than a dozen terrorists hi-jacked four planes and three out of the four hit their targets. This article is about a man,Jay Marshall, whose three friends all died in the World Trade Center. They were all on a recreational rugby team and that is how they first meet. This man who lives in New Canaan bought fake fireman gear and drove to New York to see for himself "the pile". The author tells us how he got in these massive lines and they just past buckets of debris from man to man in one big assembly line. The author describes how Jay acted and that his initial reactions were to help as many people as possible. I personally found this quote by Jay that the author put in the article a real depiction of 9/11. " “All they found was pieces of people, fragments of people,” he said. “The amount of devastation … it was completely pulverized. You could hear a pin drop when they ran the dogs over.” It was a very emotionally driven article and makes people never forget that day. That day made Americans like Jay Marshall go to great lengths, out of their comfort zone, to help those in needs.

Mrs. E

9/11/2012 03:16:34 pm

That was a moving article. Thank you for sharing.

Shayne Fitol

9/12/2012 09:26:51 am

That was an amazing story. It's incredible how he was able to talk his way onto the pile, and that he was willing to risk his own life in doing so.

Kaitlyn Twombly

9/13/2012 08:48:10 am

Your description of the article compelled me to read it for myself. It is very emotional as it shows the passion and bravery this man had. It is a very inspirational, and unquestionably a great article to share for others to read.

Tim Osborn

9/13/2012 10:51:56 am

Good choice Brennen! It's a nice reminder that everyone can stop what they are doing and come together in such a terrible time to help out.

Christina Buswell

9/13/2012 11:20:36 am

This was absolutely amazing. It goes to show that when the "going gets tough" there are people willing to do anything to help.

Kristina Lacasse

9/13/2012 12:11:36 pm

It is amazing what an impact events such as this can cause and how in a moment the world can 'stop'.

Amber Murray

9/11/2012 02:47:44 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/swine-flu-virus-shows-lethal-signs-190330756.html In the article that I found it talks about the new swine flu virus. It is coming from pigs and can spread to other animals. Researchers are saying that it is effecting the animal population because it is becoming a deadly disease to the animals. After Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee heard about the swine flu coming back he started to monitor the pigs that were getting it. Korean researchers assessed the public health risk that pigs from there are infected. Ferrets are used when they are trying to transmit the disease to find a cure because ferrets are as susceptible as humans. H1N1 was the first pandemic virus, but now this new swine flu is called H1N2, this means that people who have been vaccinated or exposed to that pathogen are more likely to be safe from this one. Even if H1N2 develops the ability to jump to humans, it likely isn't a major threat. I chose this article because this is something that everyone should be aware of. Even though the research says it isn’t as dangerous, people should still be warned about it. In 2009 it killed between 151,700 and 575,400 people across the globe in a year, so it should be monitored.

Nick Casablanca

9/11/2012 03:03:08 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/america-safer-presidential-candidates-disagree-194558022--election.html
This article is about our Presidential candidates discussing their opinions on whether America is safer after 9/11 attacks. Obama feels that America is better protected and pointed out gains during the war against terror while he was in command. However Romney disagrees, stating the he "wished we were safer." Obama then appeared on a radio talk show in Miami and never mentioned the somber anniversary. I personally feel that there is no real fool proof way that America can truly be safe. 9/11 obviously changed all of us, individually and nationally. I feel this way because the dangers will always be there in one form or another. The only true way to be safe is to have the faith in other people and to use our senses when we know whether to do the right thing or not. This is how I feel about the safety of America. I feel we will never be truly safe from danger, but must act as one and trust each other enough to know that we will do the right thing. We are unique and that is what makes us American, we stand as one.

Rob Costigan link

9/12/2012 10:10:37 am

This article is about the now all-time greatest olympic champion, Michael Phelps. It talks about how he finally "did it" after 20 years of swimming and overcoming adversity. His father had left him with his mom and three sisters at the age of seven, and left him with nothing but the pool. With that he found another father figure in his life; coach Bob Bowman. This article also shows the emotion of this event behind the scenes of the television screen. It reflects on his past with Bowman and how important he has become in his life. With 22 medals total, 18 of them gold, it's hard to argue the success he has had as an Olympic athlete. Even some of his teammates started to question his work ethic, explaining that he hadn't been training as hard as him and how rewarding it would be once they beat them. But Phelps did what he does best; takes off his SOL REPUBLIC tracks headphones, puts on his goggles as he takes his mark with his patented stretch, and dives into the pool where he can no longer hear the critics. The water is his sanctuary, as it had been for 20 years. And as he comes out on top again, he talks about the great competition, just like any humble man would. I wonder how heavy 18 Olympic Gold Medals feel around your neck. Probably still nothing compared to all the countless hours he spent in the pool.

Shayne Fitol

9/12/2012 10:37:52 am

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8363510/extent-tulane-green-wave-safety-devon-walker-injuries-uncertain
This article is discussing a serious college football injury that occured last saturday. A defensive player for Tulane University named Devon Walker suffered a fractured neck in a collision with a teammate during a game. Walker, following a three-hour surgery to stabilize his spine, was described as "alert and responsive." The extent of his injury, however, is not yet known. The author of this article was concise and to the point, and wrote without including any personal opinions, simply using facts. In an article detailing the condition of a person with neck and spine injuries, this non-opinion based writing style was an appropriate choice. I also liked how ESPN placed a short article by Stephania Bell, a physical therapist and injury analyst, alongside the main article. She talks about Walker's injury, but also about Eric LeGrand, a former Rutgers defensive player who was paralyzed in 2010 from a football collision that took place during a game. She mentions how LeGrand said that "everything that is unknown is so scary." Devon Walker not knowing the long-term effects of his injury has to be one of, if not the scariest moment of his life. On a final note, I found it poignant that the author of the main article included the following excerpt about how the people at the game reacted to what had just occured: "FOX Sports reported a hush went over the crowd at H.A. Chapman Stadium as Walker was attended to, and that several coaches were in tears as he was taken away in an ambulance. Spectators bowed their heads as someone on the field led the stadium in prayer."

Shayne Fitol

9/12/2012 10:38:38 am

Chris Faber

9/12/2012 01:20:28 pm

I heard about this incident involving Devon Walker. Sports injuries can be so fatal, especially in football. As an athlete I hate hearing about injuries because of situations like this. I am hoping and praying that Devon Walker will be okay.

Steve Mahoney

9/13/2012 09:40:09 am

Its never pleasant to see anyone get hurt but it happens. One can only pray and hope Devon Walker will recover and be able to live a healthy and normal life.

Chris Faber

9/12/2012 01:14:03 pm

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/09/opinion/paralympics-gilbert/index.html?hpt=isp_mid
This article is an opinionated article about the London 2012 Paralympics, which took place after the very popular Olympic games and ended this past Sunday September 9. The author of the article titled it, "Paralympics brilliant but why weren't you watching?" Throughout the article the author highlighted many different events as well as athletes. Also in the article the author talked about the main idea, which is why these paralympians are not getting enough credit and attention specifically in the U.S. One main reason is our own broadcaster here in the United States, which is NBC. Instead of showing live coverage day by day like the 2012 London Olympics, NBC decided to show only four hour-long highlight programs on its sports channels. This lack of coverage brought shame to the U.S. because American citizens have missed out on fantastic endeavors of their athletes and could potentially hold back the future aspirations of many more. Personally I am in total agreement with this article. I enjoyed and was interested in this article because I related to this author. I am one of the many guilty Americans who have not taken notice and appreciating paralympians. One particular game that caught my attention was called "blind football". Blind football is essentially soccer played by blind people. The soccer ball has a bell in it allowing the athletes to hear where the ball is coming from. As a soccer player reading this I was in absolute shock. After watching a video of this I am so amazed by the talent level these paralympians have. I could not even imagine trying to play soccer like this. Overall after reading this article, I have definitely become more appreciative of these athletes and the inspiration that they have on people.

Kaitlyn Carey

9/13/2012 12:40:52 pm

I agree with you that the Paralympics should be given a lot more coverage. The athletes work extremely hard to compete in it, for much less attention than the people competing in the Olympics. I hadn't heard of blind football, until I read what you had wrote, and it is inspiring how the players learned how to play soccer, although doing it only by sound seems almost impossible.

Richard Katrenya

9/13/2012 12:48:50 pm

Hey Chris, I am in the same boat you are.
I hardly had any idea that the Paraolympics even existed. I knew about the guy that ran in the Olympics who had the Cheetahs, but I never knew anything big like this existed. I agree with what you said, if the media featured more of these people's endeavors in the ParaOlmpics on television, I believe it would make people think differently about their lives and how not to take things for granted.

Maria Castelot

9/12/2012 01:35:33 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/tech/mobile/apple-iphone-launch/index.html?hpt=te_t1
Technology doesn't stay the same for long and Apple keeps on proving that statement over and over again! It seems every time we turn around, there is a new version of the iPhone. This one, called the iPhone 5, does not have much changes to it in my opinion. Sure its bigger in size and a different color, but every version seems to have at least one of those changes. Apple has been lacking creativity since the first generation of the iPhone came out and its as if in a deja vu every time Apple announces a new release of the iPhone. However, its almost like a technology addiction and people feel as if they must buy the latest version of the iPhone because people and media is telling them how great it is.

Amber Murray

9/13/2012 10:07:10 am

i agree with you on Apple losing its creativity, when the iPhone first came out it was the greatest thing to everyone but now the phones are pretty much all the same.

Haley Krivensky

9/12/2012 01:56:18 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/bicycle-built-cardboard-213331777.html
This article is about a man named Izhar Gafni. He is a designer who decided to build a bicycle made completely out of cardboard. He got the idea from hearing about a canoe made out of cardboard, and decided to try to design a bike. It took him three years to create a final product, but he eventually did it. When the bicycle was completed it weighed only twenty pounds, less than half as much as a normal bike. It was made entirely out of cardboard and recycled materials, but at the same time could hold up to 485 pounds! It cost Gafni only $9 to $12 to produce, which is nothing compared to the usual cost that can sometimes be hundreds of dollars to make. Many engineers told Gafni that it would be impossible to create such a thing as a cardboard bicycle, but he actually proved them wrong. It really surprised me that it could be done, especially as well as Gafni has done it. I think it's very cool and innovative to create something so Eco-friendly, cheap, and light-weight. He transformed something so well-known as the metal bicycle into something that can be carried around, folded up, and even recycled. The bicycle is now made out of cardboard...how mind-blowing!

Kara DeVito link

9/13/2012 12:24:20 pm

That is awesome! That is one invention that certainly is mind-blowing. I never thought cardboard could be so durable! We certainly need more innovators like him in the world.

Zach Antonio

9/12/2012 09:43:46 pm

This article is about a killing of four. Two were an innocent British couple that were vacationing in France. The true tragedy of this case comes in the form of the couple’s children. Or should I say daughters to be more specific. They are four and seven, and they were also attacked by the murderer. The killer shot the couple, and the two daughters survived the shooting. However, the seven-year-old was shot in the shoulder and suffered serious head injuries. The fourth victim was Sylvain Mollier, a Frenchman who was cycling in the same area as the couple. He was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in the same parking lot.
This article truly hits home with me. It is truly horrific to imagine being four or seven and having your parents being murdered in front of you. And being seven and being shot. How could another person do that to other people? Then the innocent biker who was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
This being a news article, I liked how the author stirctly reported the facts. It did a good jobof sharing the police side of things. It leaves room for imagination in the reader's mind. You get to imagine the disturbing backstory. I didn't choose this article because I liked it. I chose it because I think it is important that this story is remembered.

Zach Antonio

9/12/2012 09:44:51 pm

I forgot the link, whoops. Here it is: http://articles.cnn.com/2012-09-08/world/world_europe_france-shooting-probe_1_british-police-investigators-al-hilli

Danny Mott

9/13/2012 08:09:42 am

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/12/american-to-be-freed-from-nicaraguan-prison-after-nearly-two-years/?hpt=wo_c2

The link above provides a short article about how an American was detained for 2 years in a Nicaraguan prison. The man was wrongly accused, and his attorneys, USA, and his family all know he is innocent. He was detained on drug charges. I like the way the author described how he was wrongfully accused and now human right activists are getting involved. In addition, he gave a very brief sentence stating, "Latin America's most notrorius prisons". This puts so much immediate imagery and sensations of what this innocent American was put through, and the conditions of his stay. What I also liked was the fact that the author talked to his family, to prove his innocence. It was a typical information artricle, of which CNN reporters usually write, but it was interesting and was nice to hear the story of an innocent man finally getting freed. The author also included a qoute from the innocent prisoner, saying, "I don't know the reason I'm here." This just really makes me feel for him, and want to do something about it. It's really heartbreaking to the fact that secondary or third world countries don't have the great justice system like America. :)

Lauren Barry

9/13/2012 08:22:22 am

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/africa/mobile-phones-change-africa/index.html
Within this extremely current article, the author explores the ways in which the cell phone has influenced life in Africa. The author of the article, Tolu Ogunlesi, uses long sentence structures and easy-to-understand language to illustrate to readers how the whole branch of new technology effects countries other than America. Ogunlesi describes how much has actually changed within the mobile phone industry on the continent, and successfully evaluates the significance of the technology. Within the article, Ogunlesi states that newly-introduced smartphones are becoming some of the African people's "most personal possession." Even though Africa may not have the luxuries of the newest iPhone 5, or even 3G, "basic" smartphones like the blackberry, are becoming more and more common. The article is focused on the main seven ways phones have influenced African society, and it becomes obvious how much these devices have improved an underdeveloped region. In America, phones are used for social networking, and are owned by kids under the age of thirteen, so we, as Americans do not even seem to think of this technology as a "luxury." This is exactly what is being seen within Africa, the smartphones are becoming necessities, rather than luxuries. The article allows readers from the United States to realize how much of an impact something that we take for granted can influence society as a whole, in positive ways on another continent. Although this article may not be the most interesting one out there, it certainly contains information that can lead you to walk away thinking about what you probably just read, on your iPhone.

Kaitlyn Twombly

9/13/2012 08:41:40 am

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/09/13/Unemployed-profs-write-essays-for-cash/UPI-34411347550931/

This article tells about a Canadian website in which hires unemployed professors to essentially write essays for students for cash. A student can post the requirements and details of an assignment onto the website, and the professors bid against each other for the work. I found this article especially interesting for a few reasons. The first is that the article talks about how ethical it is for unemployed professors to be partaking in this type of work. They claim that it is totally ethical seeing as though "the academic system is already so corrupt". This article also brings up another interesting and very valid point. Graduated students and such typically would partake in this type of work, but for a professor to do so is very questionable and mind-boggling to many. It goes against many of the teachings and lessons in which professors typically would instill into their students. Catherine Bolton, dean of academic services at Montreal's Concordia University, says that she "found the business to have reached a new low in learning", and I completely agree. No professor, unemployed or not, should be assisting students in cheating their way out of the academic learning experience, or in pursuing a dishonest act.

Justin Leone link

9/13/2012 08:43:55 am

This article is about the mysterious deaths in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. On July 30th two backpackers, Kari Bowerman and Cathy Huynh, were admitted into a Vietnamese hospital and only a few hours later Huynh was alive. A couple days after she too was dead. This mysterious tragedy has been just one, in a link of several. Researchers and investigators believe that this is the aftermath of some sort of pesticide. Nothing has been confirmed. This is a sad article and I hope they find the culprit. However, I did like how concise the author was in writing this. A clear and to-the-point article is always better than one that just rambles on. On the other hand, the diciton was mundane and did not stand out in the least bit.

Andrew lynch

9/13/2012 12:55:59 pm

This is scary. Who knows if some kind of pesticide that we are using right now may have similar effects later.

Alyssa Ferreone link

9/13/2012 09:14:32 am

This is a DISTURBING article I found on Fox news and it tell a story of how a group of Texas fouth-grade students were told by their teacher to draw inappropriate drawings of the 9/11 attacks. The drawing included people jumping out of windows screaming 'Help', the hijackers flying the planes into the towers, and the two buildings burning down. Parents obviously were outraged when the teacher told them that "The Afghans did this because they hate all of us and want to kill all of us." While this may or may not be the reason for the terrorist attacks, kids under the age of ten should not be told this for obvious resons. The article goes on saying that one of the children was then under the impression that this happens every 9/11 and he was scared to leave his house. This teacher is seriously disturbed if she thought this was an appropriate was to teach the children about the terrorist attacks.

Steve Mahoney link

9/13/2012 09:38:21 am

Arguably one of the most influential coaches in recent college basketball history officially announced his retirement today. At 2:00 former UCONN men's head basketball coach, Jim Calhoun, addressed the press and stated that, "This would be a good time to leave." Over his 26 seasons coaching at UCONN, Calhoun had amassed a total of three national championships and four final four appearances. Including his fourteen years at Northeastern, Calhoun's win total was 873. That is good enough for sixth all time. Calhoun had his share of bumps and bruises along the way, including a fractured hip last month. I am not surprised by this decision because it wasn't hard to tell that he would be retiring soon. Even though this doesn't come as a surprise, it is heartbreaking. This man took over a team that had never made an elite eight appearance, and coached them straight into the history books. He was, and always will be, the single most influential man in UCONN men's basketball history. His replacement is Kevin Ollie who played at UCONN in 2000-2002 under Calhoun. These next few years will definitely be for rebuilding because the men's basketball team at UCONN is academically ineligible for the NCAA tournament and they only have five returning players who saw significant playing time last year.

Kristina Lacasse

9/13/2012 10:23:29 am

http://news.yahoo.com/feds-id-california-mans-role-anti-islam-film-164554115.html
This article is about an anti-Muslim film that caused mob violence against U.S. embassies across the Mideast. The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other diplomats were killed during an attack on the American embassy. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is been discovered to be behind this film under the persona of Sam Bacile, who initially claimed to be the writer and director of the film. I think this is sad that Nakoula had the nerve to make this racist film, and use a fake name and hid. I liked how the author mentioned various other Islamophobic people that Nakoula had contact with, it strengthened his view that Nakoula was racist. With the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks just passing, the feeling of anti-Muslim can be brought up and this film proves that some people still judge the Muslims. It was important that the author discussed that American actors and actresses who appeared in the film have said they were misled about the project. It seems like it was a sketchy project from the beginning, the actors should have thought something of it. The author of the article was very thorough in describing the misleading information and the anonymity of the situation. Although it was an objective piece, it seems to relay the message easily.

Victoria Marino

9/13/2012 10:23:39 am

http://news.yahoo.com/nbcs-today-skips-9-11-moment-kardashian-191704208--finance.html
Many people will never forget September 11, 2001. It was a day that changed America and will always be remembered. This article is about how the NBC's "Today" show found it more important to talk to Kris Jenner, than show any remembrance to the tragedy of 9/11. Many, if not all other morning news programs made it a point to discuss and show respect and remembrance for not only the victims of the plane crash, but also their families and all the people and heroes who were apart of 9/11. It affected the country and I can only imagine the amount of people who felt upset that this news program to not show anything in honor of September 11th. No matter how many years have passed since this tragedy, it should always be remembered in some sort of way. It is so sad that this show decided not to talk about it, and instead discuss one of the best known families in America. I hope that other television programs see a wrong in this and do not decide to do this in future years. The country we live in is changing on a day to day basis but we owe it to everyone involved in 9/11 to take one day and show our respect for them. I hope that this will not happen again.

Tim Osborn link

9/13/2012 10:44:33 am

This is an article about celebrities saying to the public that they are going to indorse certain candidates in the upcoming election. I chose it because it tied in with the last discussion we had and it really got me thinking. Ever since I was a young child I have had to go with my mother to the polling station when November rolled around. When you walk into the polling area there are quite a few booths with sides so someone can go and make a decision by himself or herself. The process isn't open to the public to make a group decision; it is set up for people to make their own choices. Our government is based on people's INDIVIDUAL opinions, not like 1984. It just isn't right for celebrities to come out and say their opinions; they are supposed to be personal. The worse part is people listen to them because they have money and think, "well they are a good person to follow". No, it's not a good thing to do, they have lots of money and the common voter does not. I am a very opinionated person and this is just my two cents, but our government was established for everyone to make their own opinion. If we followed a leader/group of people then we would be no better off then the people of Oceania.

Michaela Ryan

9/13/2012 02:10:19 pm

Agreed, people aren't learning to develop their own opinions for themselves. They side with their favorite celebrity instead. It's okay to listen to other people's opinions and develop your own, but blindly believing someone because you're a fan is a little ridiculous.

Ally Caple

9/13/2012 02:37:21 pm

First of all, I love how you related this to 1984. But anyway... I definitely agree with what you said here. It isn't right in any way, shape, or form for people who have the public's attention to state their opinion. These celebirties are obviously aware of the fact that some people weight their own opinions based on those of famous people, therefore, making it the celebirty's decion in the end, not the individual's.

Michaela Ryan

9/13/2012 10:45:21 am

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120910-cyborg-cockroaches-madagascar-hissing-science-remote-control/
Afraid of bugs? You shouldn't be. One of these thumb-sized
indestructible insects could save your life. Scientists have developed a new "rescue bug" that will soon be able to locate victims trapped in earthquake, storm, and landslide rubble. They have outfitted
cockroaches with miniature backpacks which they can use to steer and control the bugs. Vibrations can be sent through the sensors into the roach's antenna, causing the bug to think there is an obstacle in the way, making it turn. These have only been tested in the lab so far, but soon scientists hope to use these cyborgs to save lives. It's interesting how a little insect that was once considered a pest, is now being used to help people. The author of this article emphasizes that even bugs can be used in ways never thought possible. Whether they're biobots or cyborgs, the author has certainly convinced me that they're an important step in the right direction.

Meredith

9/13/2012 11:27:59 am

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/12/340000-votes-may-have-come-from-facebook-message/?hpt=hp_t3

For once, Facebook is being used for something else besides the normal stalking of people and uploading pictures. It's actually increasing the amount of voters for this year's presidential election. Facebook users recently saw a message pop up on the top of their Facebook , it said "get out the vote." Then a message would remind users that an election day would be coming up. But what was really interesting was that you could click the " I Voted" button and let all your friends know that you already voted. It would immediately bring you to a page that showed where the local polling places were. Then you could actually see what other friends of yours voted. It's nice to see that Facebook is having a positive affect on voting. The author is trying to prove that social pressure does happen over social networking, even when it comes to voting. If you see that your friend has voted you are usually more compelled to vote. It's as simple as that. This voting campaign that Facebook has implemented has generated an additional 60,000 voters.

Danielle Obanner

9/13/2012 01:05:27 pm

I think this was a great idea on facebook's part. It is so important that the younger generations vote and get a say in something and this is the best way to do it. Social media networking influences millions so it is almost necessary that you encourage people to do better through these sites, because they will listen. Well done, Facebook.

Christina Buswell link

9/13/2012 11:35:11 am

This article was talking about the release of the newest Iphone, the Iphone 5. Many were expecting this new Iphone to be spectacular with even more amazing features. However, when the phone was given to a group of people for feedback, many were disappointed. Although the phone's screen is larger, the shape is slightly different, and its incredibly light in weight; there isn't much of a difference between the Iphone 4s and the Iphone 5. Some even demanded that they not release the phone until they add more appealing features. Personally I feel as if society is never satisfied. We have wonderful technology that people take for granted. As Iphones are increasingly becoming part of everyones daily lives, we will want and want and want more. The author of the article says: "Is it going to sell like hot-cakes? Of course. Will it send shockwaves shuddering through the tech world and turn competitors back to their drawing boards? No." The new Iphone will without a doubt make tons of money. But it will also leave tons of people wanting more and anticipating the next Iphone upgrade.

Katheryn Byrnes link

9/13/2012 11:54:39 am

I found an article about the digs that the archaeologists at University of Leicester are doing. They recently found King Richard III's burier ground which was in the middle of a parking lot. They mark on his head and the arrow make them all believe that he is indeed King Richard III. They are not sure so they are doing a DNA test on someone who has died many year ago. Who they are doing that is by taking some of the DNA that they have from his family members and testing it on him. They are taking the DNA from the bones.
The author made the article exciting to read because he made it short and informative along with showing emotion, as this discovery is extremely exciting. He the head of Archaeology department quoted and showed how nerve-wracking. The author had many interesting points and made the whole thing intriguing to read.

Kaitlyn Carey

9/13/2012 12:00:52 pm

This article is about the recent attack by a group of extremists on a consulate in Libya. It started during a protest against a film that the protesters believed was mocking Mohammed. About twenty people attacked, armed with guns and rocket launchers, setting fire to the building. Christopher Stephens, the American ambassador to Libya, was killed in the attack along with several others, and even more were wounded. I liked how the article, although it was mostly telling the facts of what had happened also included quotes. One example of that is "He risked his life to stop a tyrant and gave his life trying to build a better Libya," which Hillary Clinton said. This gives the reader more of an understanding of the people involved, even the views of people in Libya, that the group responsible for the attack was a small extremist group, that they will also work to stop. It also includes information on other protests such as the ones occurring in Egypt. I thought it was interesting how the article reported not only on the attack, but also on the events afterwards, and several presidents reactions. Some of the people quoted were the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, the Libyan president Mohammed el-Megarif, and Barack Obama. Having several points of view on the events made it easier to understand how different countries were affected.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/libya-consulate-hit-attacks-lasted-hours/story?id=17215154#.UFJf-a72ZvA

Andrew Lynch

9/13/2012 12:05:09 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/13/health/new-york-soda-ban/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
This article is about a new ban on large soft drinks in New York. According to New York cities board of health committee, 57% of New Yorkers are over weight or obese, and that is a direct result of the excessively large soda drinks sold in fast food chains. Currently, Wendy’s and McDonalds sell large fountain drinks which are 32 ounce cups. This ban on large sodas is going to make it so food chains in New York can only sell sodas up to 16 ounces. That is half the size of what they are right now! New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, also believes that large sodas are a direct result of the increasing number of diabetes and heart disease in America. I personally feel that it should be the people’s choice if they want to drink less soda or not. When the government intervenes and limits the amount of an item a person can purchase, it just makes people feel like they are being bossed around. The NY community is still going to drink the same amount of soft drinks, and maybe even more just to tell of the government. Also, obesity can’t be blamed on soda alone. Everything in a person’s diet plays a role. Odds are if you are purchasing a 32 oz soda, you are probably buying a 700 calorie big Mac with it. The author is trying to save lives, but by limiting people’s rights is not the way to do it.

Trevor H

9/13/2012 01:15:34 pm

I agree with you. If you're going to regulate what people can or can't eat, you have to go all or nothing. It doesn't help to regulate soda when the rest of the menu is 10 times worse. If they really want to make a difference, they'd have to regulate everything, which moves away from our democratic and capitalistic ideals. Sure, obesity is a problem that needs to be dealt with, but banning just one form of caloric intake is not the right way to do it.

Kara DeVito link

9/13/2012 12:12:14 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/lizzie-velasquez-adipose-tissue-neonatal-progeroid-syndrome_n_1880875.html?ir=Healthy+Living#slide=1518599
This article is about a woman named Lizzie Velasquez, and she was born without an ounce of fat on her body. Bullies claim that she is the world's ugliest woman, and she is tired of it. She puts it out there that she IS still a human, with feelings and emotions. The author is trying to convey the fact that bullying is not okay. A person's appearance does not give people the right to pick on them, especially if the reason is a medical condition. People don't have a clue with what she has to deal with on a daily basis. She continues to eat without gaining a thing. I like how this article is all fact based. The reader gets to hear what Velasquez really has to say: "Stop staring, and start learning." Her new book definitely sounds like a great, inspirational read.

Kaleigh Cragan

9/13/2012 12:50:57 pm

I saw this article on yahoo! news. I read a little into and realized how difficult and different it must be for this woman. The author portrayed it very well. Good choice, Kara!

Meghan Giannettino link

9/13/2012 12:40:57 pm

The article iPhone 5 vs 4s: Which Is the Better Buy? By Kelli B. Grant talks about the new Iphone 5 and if it's better than the older version 4s. The Iphone 5 will have the 5 boasts more processing power, supports speedier 4G LTE data networks. Has longer battery life and comes with a better camera that shoots 1080p video. The rear-facing camera and 720p video on the front-facing camera. The 4s is still a pretty good deal and great phone. In the end of the article the author leave the decision up to the readers weather the IPhone 5 is a better buy then the 4s. Personally I will be buying the new phone and cant wait to get it, they have me sold. The authors writing style was straight to the point and easy to read. I liked how the writer quoted other peoples opinions not making it not all about his pint of view. I chooses this event because it was an light read and the hot new thing everyone is talking about.

Richard Katrenya link

9/13/2012 12:43:12 pm

When I first read the title of this article "Manned Mars Mission Still on Track" I was instantly excited. Space travel and space exploration is one of my favorite topics to read about. I am an avid "Ancient Aliens" buff, and I just completely enjoy anything related to space. After reading this article, however, I was saddened by the fact that it was more related to politics than the actual mission itself. The author seemed more focused on informing the reader about how expensive the whole mission would be and how if NASA really wants to go to moon that they should invest in cheaper rockets. The way the author wrote sounded like the mission is hardly on track at all and it deemed it doomed to fail.

In my opinion, the only way that we will be able to make it to the Mars any sooner, I think that they should make this an International Goal. Just like how we have the International Space Station, the ISS, the government should have a collaboration mission to Mars.

Alex Mardis link

9/13/2012 12:46:49 pm

After reading Kyle's post, it reminded me of Neil Armstrong's death which occurred on August 25 2012. Armstrong flew more than 75 missions over Korea before he was accepted into the astronaut corps in 1962 . When he first joined NASA, he started off as a civilian test pilot and eventually was chosen to be the Commander of Apollo 11. I remember reading somewhere that Armstrong used to purposely make really bad jokes about the moon and then follow them up with "I guess you had to be there..". If I was Armstrong I would have said that all the time! Or if i went to that hotel I could say it too.

Mrs. E

9/13/2012 02:16:50 pm

Ha ha! What an excellent joke!

Kaleigh Cragan link

9/13/2012 12:48:40 pm

This article is about the new, exciting iPhone 5 that I'm sure a lot of people are looking forward to recieving. Although the article states, it isn't really that exciting from the previous iPhone 4s. Including siri and a few new features, the iPhone 5 isn't that much of a craze as the apple techs assumed it would be. On the opposing side to this article, I believe that every new and 'exciting' innovation that comes out today will cause many of our daily technology to soon become obsolete very soon. Like paperback books, for example, there are e-readers and kindles even in libraries now. If you can download a book within minutes why take the trip to the town's library? With that said, I beileve the author of this article plays off the new iPhone 5 to be a great new piece of technology, but everything is new for only so long.

Dan K

9/13/2012 01:00:37 pm

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2011/11/28/20111128designer-cocaine-legal-potentially-lethal.html

This is an article about a new drug out there called glass cleaner. It's not like a normal household glass cleaner but it is a changed composition of the drug cocaine. I found this interesting because in the article it talks about how since this drug hasn't been tested for harm when it is used that technically it is legal. It replaced bath salts and cocaine since it has a different name that is legal. I think that this is very faulty when it comes to our government. The person who uses the drug before its a law will not get in trouble with the law for using unless will using it, it causes them to do a separate crime. The drug wars are an interesting topic because The makers, said to be in Eastern Europe and China, are usually two or three generations ahead of law enforcement of the new drugs made. This made me think of the book in the sense that even though the government is trying to monitor the movement of these people, there is still a way to get around their control without them knowing. The huge drug business is able to get around the governments in places where they can not see to do something illegal like Winston does with his diary in the corner of the room. It is crazy how many relations this book can be made to current society.

Danielle Obanner

9/13/2012 01:01:56 pm

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/stem-cell-deafness-cure-reported-170158481.html
This article is about how scientists are slowly creeping up on a cure for deafness. The author goes into detail about the experiments done and how about half of the test animals reacted positively to the stem cells. In my opinion I loved how the author got straight to the point and made it completely factually based. But, while doing that he also made it possible for me to enjoy the article because his word choice leads you to believe that he's just as excited about this discovery as anyone could be. It's awesome to know that in our day and age we can accomplish such feats, it restores my faith in society. The author also did a good job of making sure that it was clear that there is NOT yet a cure, but they are coming close, some authors fail to do that.

Bridget Borowy

9/13/2012 03:26:00 pm

Thats actually really interesting. Losing any of the senses is a very sad thing because there's so much beauty around us. I also agree with you saying that it restores your faith in society. We really do accomplish amazing things sometimes and if it benefits the world, that's truly amazing.

Jackie Ortiz link

9/13/2012 01:10:40 pm

Lizzie Velasquez, also known as the World's Ugliest Woman, is speaking out. All her life she has dealt with bullying and people trying to bring her down.She was even told to kill herself. She cannot help the way she looks, in fact, she was born with a medical condition so rare that only two others in the world are known to have it. Her body cannot store energy, make muscle, and she can't gain weight. She is 23 and only 60 lbs. Her condition has even caused her to go blind in one eye. However, she is also a college student and released her second book. Instead of being held down and destroyed by people telling her she is nothing and better off dead, she is speaking to crowds telling her story and inspiring others. As far as the author's style, I liked how she incorproated excerpts from lizzie's books. I also, enjoyed how she wrote her title as, "Lessons from the World's Ugliest Woman" we all can learn a new lesson everyday. The way she wrote the story of Lizzie's story made it even more inspiring and in your face, almost saying read this story. it was eyecatching and thought-provoking and I throughly enjoyed it.

Trevor H

9/13/2012 01:11:47 pm

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/07/human-immortality-could-be-possible-by-2045-say-russian-scientists.html

This article is about a Russian scientist who claims that humans will have to option to live forever by 2045. This will be achieved by implanting human consciousness into an animatronic avatar. The article promotes much debate over whether it would be ethical or not. I also like how the author presents it from a mainly neutral vantage point, leaving it up to the reader and the community to decide rather than trying to tell people what to believe. The actual topic is a very scary thought. What would happen if people could live forever? How would that affect housing and population? Would humans and avatars essentially become two different species with humans inferior? All these questions are provoked by this article. Right now it seems too Sci-Fi, but I imagine that when our technology advances and it becomes more "real", then we will be start to be scared, or excited. Would you like to live forever?

Christina M

9/13/2012 01:29:10 pm

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/13/rare-spider-found-in-texas-shuts-down-15m-construction-project/

I had trouble finding an article/style of writing that i liked so I ended up choosing this news report from FOX news. I chose it because I found the topic extremely interesting and a bit contradicting. The article was about a $15 million dollar contruction project being put on hold because a rare/ nearly extict spider was found on the site. The citizens of San Antonio, Texas are outraged because the federal government stopped the production of an underpass. That being said, there is now more traffic in the area and all the people working on the project are out of jobs. I liked that the author talks about how the hault in construction is affected the citizens in addition to why it was so important for the government to put a hault to the project. This is only the second time this species has EVER been seen by humans. After reading about the facts of the spider i agreed to haulting the construction however after finishing the article I have changed my opinion. After finding out that the one spider they found, which is nearly extinct, had been taking to a lab and dissected to find out what it was I was left feeling unsatisfied with the situation.The workers should have just keep working on the project!

Ally Caple link

9/13/2012 02:31:15 pm

The article I chose is surprisingly one I would not have normally choosen due to it being a bit lengthy, but the topic really sparked my interest. Carina Chocano wrote this NY Times article about the current most-popular "blogging" websites- Pinterest and Tumblr. Right off the bat, she began telling her personal story which lead up to her main point. But her personal introduction unexpectedly caught my attention, mostly because it's a topic I- and most kids (and adults) of this generation- can relate to. She wrote about how websites like these became so popular: because people use them to "escape, destress, perk up, calm down, feel something, not feel something, [and] distract themselves..." Chocano wrote the article well, relating bits and pieces of random infomation to the topic. For example, she talked about neurological explanations, threw in a German word (meaning "addictive yearning," which she explains), and also added an opposing opinionated quotes by a former "real blogger." (I think adding opposing arguments in articles is important, seeing as though it allows the reader to see both sides of the spectrum.) The author closed her piece by discussing how these "inspiration blogs" are full of advertising, but how advertisment is no longer the point; the point of these blogs is to overwhelm ourselves with a good feeling. And "now we can create that feeling for ourselves, then pass it around like a photo album of the life we think we were meant to have but don’t, the people we think we should be but aren’t."

Bridget

9/13/2012 03:22:52 pm

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/29/university-of-cape-town-researchers-believe-they-have-found-a-single-dose-cure-for-malaria/
This is just an article about some researchers who may have found a cure for malaria. I found this article interesting because I like to learn about science and new innovations created. It's an article that isn't your every day political or financial type article. Its not everyday scientists come up with something as difficult as a cure. Imagine hearing about a cure for cancer? The author gives the facts directly, but also looks further into what a cure such as this might do for the entire world, especially Africa, which the disease kills 24% of the children population.

Alex Mardis link

9/20/2012 01:18:10 pm

On August 25, 2012, Neil Armstrong passed away. He was an aerospace engineer, naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. But most people know him as the first man to walk on the moon. What drew my attention to this event, was the fact that Armstrong was more than just an astronaut. He was a symbol of America. And more importantly than a symbol of America, he was a symbol of progress and hope FOR America. I remember you saying that you felt 9/11 brought this country together. I believe that Armstrong brought this country together in the same way. If I was alive when Armstrong landed on the moon, I would have been proud to be an American. As long is there is an interest in space, Armstrong's name will be remembered.

Mrs. E

9/20/2012 03:12:13 pm

Oh it absolutely did. I remember my father telling me that his whole family was glued to the TV like everyone else in the country watching one of the most astounding events in US history. Shuttle launches gave Americans the sense of pride at one time. Sadly, shuttle launches that once drew thousands lost their appeal and simply became almost afterthoughts on news programs. Americans are certainly in need of something to feel proud of again.

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