Monday, December 20, 2010

Global News

Guns Gone Wild

As India Gets Rich, They Trade Guns

As eight year olds throw punches in America, Indian teenagers in New Delhi gun down their friends over small arguments. As girls argue in public hallways, bullets are shot in stairwells.  As of right now, school gunplay is not common but it is most definitely a developing obsession. More and more people try to get legal guns and people are promoting a rule like the National Riffle Association. As we hope that child arguments in schools occur less frequently, we must put things in perspective because there are mothers who pray everyday that their child will not be shot on their way to class.

International News

New Documentary

New York Times

Many students face traumatic breakdowns, loads of paperwork, and excessive work loads, therefore, a new documentary "Race to Nowhere." will be filmed about the pressure put on student teens. It will be about the classes, athletic accomplishments, and extra-curricular activities that are forced upon teens in order to build up their résumés towards being accepted into better colleges. However, sometimes this is not for the better. This movie will introduce an idea that "One thing is clear: We can’t be content with just giving kids “coping strategies” that leave the structural problems intact; we have to change the structures themselves."

Local News

Birthday Brawl

The Bergen Record

In Paterson New JErsey, at the Hookah Lounge, a birthday party was disrupted by a brawl. This argument left the "smoking lounge trashed and two men in the hospital with stab wounds." The stabbers have not been determined, and apparently the people had thrown tables and chairs through the front windows as the managers tried to get patrons out the back door. The accused victims have not been questioned, as they are not physically ready, however, anyone with information about the incident should call Detective Todd Pearl at (973) 321 1120.

Monday December 13, 2010

Global News
Decembrow 
Aol News


A feminist group has begun to spread the idea of 'Decembrow' by promoting women to grow out their eyebrows to promote "being open minded about looks." Another part of Decembrow is to promote people to donate to any type of charity. And how is this supposed to be spread around the world? People are supposed to take pictures of their unibrow and post it on social networking sites to encourage others to partake in the 'Decembrow' celebration.


(http://weirdnews.about.com/b/2010/12/13/grow-out-your-eyebrows-ladies-decembrow-is-here.htm)


National News
Facebook Police
New York Times


In Palo, Alto California, Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook) suits up for the job everyday. Instead of sporting a blue button down and a badge, he wears shorts and flip flops. Is he a police? No, but a monitor? Of course. Some people say that Facebook is too slow to respond to issues and do not do enough to prevent certain abuses, like bullying. However, Mark does his best to watch out what people can write on others wall's by flagging specific words.


(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/technology/13facebook.html?_r=1&ref=us)


Local News
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Bergen Record


Ho ho ho! Happy Christmahannahkwanzika. Steve Tuch thought that just as much as Christians deserve Santa Claus climbing down their chimney and leaving presents under the tree, Jews deserve someone a little more exciting then 'Hanukah Harry.' Therefore, he invented 'Gefilte Fish Guy', which didn't end too well. Later in the year, the Jew dressed as Santa Claus and his moment of fame was when the boy sitting in his lap in Paramus Park, New Jersey said, "Hey, look at that," he exclaimed 'It's Gefilte-Fish Guy!'" So, from the Gefilte-Fish-Guy, "Happy Christmahannahkwanzika!"


(http://www.northjersey.com/community/111576749_A_holiday_tradition_that_never_quite_caught_on.html?c=y&page=2)

Hello my name is...

As you shake hands and introduce yourself to the woman in the button down shirt with the 'Hello My Name Is...' sticker stuck to her pocket, have you ever wondered what the origin of her name was? Although I knew someone by the name of Suzan since I was three, we never were the closest friends, but after a simple assignment on 'getting to know more about your name' I had felt like I known her much more. Suzan, also known as Suzie-Q or Suzzie by her close family and friends says that she "sometimes feels like it is a name for an elderly." Ironicly, she was named after her great grandmother Sylvia, however, it has not affected her personality. When Suzan and I were discussing the meaning of her name, we had found out it was like a 'graceful lilly'. Not only does Suzan's name mean graceful lilly, but before she knew this she said that if she had the oppertunity to change her name, she would change it to Lilly.  As our conversation grew and we learned more about one another and Suzan said she hopes to name her children Clarissa, Gemma, Isabella, or Carter. Suzan will no longer just be a name, but the meaning behind it has added a whole new dimension to the meaning of my friend.

Absence of Malice

      As a student in a Journalism class my assignments are fairly clear cut and there are no ethical decissions I must make before publishing any of my pieces because I am not writing for the 'real world' to hear. However, I have been prepared for scenarios in which I must make a choice regarding what is morally correct, not legally.
      After watching the movie 'Absence of Mailce', I have created a much more firm base from which I would come to conclusions as a journalist. I feel that although the man had intended for Meg to read the file, it would have been much more responsible of Meg as a journalist to not 'snoop' and read the folder. Besides that, I think that Meg's decisions were not unethical because they did not have a negative effect on society in a permanent way being that the character's had moved on. Journalists' jobs might be to 'report news' but that title comes along with many ethical choices and decisions as well.
      For example, if a student in your school committed a crime and it was your responsibility to report the story. Do you publicly mortify the student and print his/her name, or sacrifice the publicity and do him/her a favor? If the writer would do the teenager a favor and not mention the criminal's name he would receive praise. On the other hand, the criminals reaction would be restricted because it is the truth, but still embarrassment and publication of his/her personal life. Sometimes, like in Meg's situation, it can be taken to an extreme when the person being written about takes their life. IT is each journalist's decision what to

Monday, December 6, 2010

Global News
H.I.V Spreading in South Africa
The New York Times


In Dayton, Africa, approximately 5.7 million people are H.I.V positive If the African budget was not as strained, they would be able to reduce the large number of people H.I.V positive to only 200,000. According to a source, last year, an approximate 2.1 billion dollars were spent towards curing AIDS.It is expected that by 2020 the majority of people can be cured.


(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/world/africa/20safrica.html?_r=1&ref=africa)


National News
Noah's Ark Theme Park
The New York Times


In Kentucky the jobs are limited, so a solution has been devised. This will attract tourists and supply the community with more occupations. However, there is a religious dilemma and when asked about it, Mike Zovath, a memeber of a group Gensis a “It’s our opportunity to present accurate, factual biblical information to people about a subject that they’re really interested in,” said Mike Zovath, a senior vice president of Answers in Genesis. Some say that this may cause an uproar in religious wars and an opposer to this establishment said, "The fact that it's an economic development plan doesn't ascuse it."


(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/us/06ark.html?ref=us)


Local News
Apple Store Robbery
Bergen Record


The Apple store, in Tice's Corner WCL New Jersey was broken into at 2am on Monday morning. The robbers were not identified, nor was the price of items stolen. The tools used to break into the store were robbed from another nearby store. Police ask anyone who may have seen anything in Monday’s burglary to call (201) 391-8222.


(http://www.northjersey.com/news/crime_courts/120610_Woodcliff_Lake_Apple_store_burglarized.html)

Pre Movie Questions

-   What kinds of things does Sally Field do that are considered unethical for a journalist?

o      She does two major things that can be considered unethical. One, she prints a story that contained secret facts that were leaked to her through a source. Her writing was unattributed and her editor let it slide by without a problem because he knew it would draw attention to the paper. Two, she then slept with the source and his dirty revenge becomes an affair which is frowned upon in the journalism world. For a journalist to become occupied with one of the subjects in their story is unjust and might create a biased story.

-   Describe Sally Field's character.

o      She is honest and genial lady who’s heart can lead her down the wrong path. Sometimes her editor can have too much of an influence on her.

-   Describe Paul Newman's character.

o      He is an innocent man who has a bad reputation that hovers over him like a dark cloud of his fathers past relationships and experiences. However, he is smart and has not committed a crime.

-   Does Roger Ebert think that the events in this movie are realistic

o      No, he says that no expectable journalist would do what they have done in he movie.

-   After reading this review are YOU interested in seeing this movie?

o      Yes, I think it will be a great combination of education, humor, and enjoyment.