Assignment #7 page 117 sentences

The following is an assignment from page 117 of the Rich textbook for my class.

a. She felt bad about missing the school board meeting, but her editor fired her regardless.

b. We will join together in prayer and fly the flags at half-staff for the students who died in the shooting.

c. It is all right if you miss class for a job interview. You can make up the test tomorrow.

d. We will divide the workload among three students.

e. The St. Joseph Board of Commissioners plans to submit a proposal for a bond issue to pay for road improvements. They are hoping the election committee will reach a consensus to put the issue on the ballot.

f. I know you are eager to get this job, but each applicant will have a chance to discuss his or her strengths and weaknesses with the personnel director.

g. Based on your writing skills, it looks like you could be a good journalist.

h. Each of the students will receive a plaque with his or her diploma at graduation.

i. She was embarrassed that she fewer than five answers correct on the quiz.

j. After the boss read the report, he gave it to Jim and me to rewrite. He said it is due back by Monday.

Revision of First Attempt at a News Story

This is the revised version of the first story assignment based on the comments I received in class.  I hope the corrections are an improvement.

A study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that right-handed people are outliving their left-handed counterparts.

 

The study, conducted by Professor Diane Halpern of California State University at San Bernardino and researcher Stanly Coren of the University of British Columbia, focused on determining why there were fewer left-handed people than right-handed people among the older population. 

 

The death certificates of 987 people from two Southern California counties were studied and revealed that right-handed people are outliving left-handed people by an average of nine years.  Right-handed people are living to an average age of 75, while left-handed people are only living to an average age of 66.

 

A possible reason for this discrepancy is that left-handed people are four times more likely to die from auto related injuries and six times more likely to die from an accident in general according to the study.

 

“The results are striking in their magnitude,” Halpern said.

 

But Halpern warns that the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously and not used to predict a person’s lifespan. The study focused on the cause of death for each subject and did not account for the individual’s fitness level. 

 

“It’s important that mothers of left-handed children not be alarmed and not try to change which hand a child uses,” Halpern said.  “There are many, many old left-handed people.”

First Attempt at a News Story

The following  is a class assignment to try writing a news story.  The information for this story was taken from my text book.

A study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that right handed people are outliving their left handed counterparts.

 

The study, conducted by Professor Diane Halpern, of California State University at San Bernardino and researcher Stanly Coren, of the University of British Columbia, focused on determining why there were fewer left-handed people than right-handed people among the older population. 

 

The death certificates of 987 people from two Southern California counties were studied and revealed that right-handed people are outliving left-handed people by an average of nine years.  Right-handed people are living to an average age of 75, while left-handed people are only living to an average age of 66.

 

A possible reason for this discrepancy is that left-handed people are four times more likely to die from auto related injuries and six times more likely to die from an accident in general according to the study.

 

“The results are striking in their magnitude,” Halpern said.

 

But Halpern also warns that the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously and not used to predict a person’s lifespan. The study focused on the cause of death for each subject and did not take account for the individual’s fitness level. 

 

“It’s important that mothers of left-handed children not be alarmed and not try to change which hand a child uses,” Halpern said.  “There are many, many old left-handed people.” 

Average age at Death	Right-Handed	Left-Handed
Male	73 Years	62 Years
Female	78 Years	72 Years

 

 

 

 

Where Do Blogs Fit In?

Anyone with an opinion and a computer can be a blogger. The effect of their opinion depends on who sees that blog.  Take me for example. I am a blogger, unintentional though it may be, due to the requirements of a journalism class and now my opinions are available to anyone able to find my blog.

 

And while the number of people reading this blog may be limited, many blogs have large numbers of very dedicated readers.  Many people consider them as a source of news.  And how can you blame readers when blogs are so easily found in mainstream media?  The Denver Post website has an entire page dedicated to their blogs.  Blogs are a part of the way society communicates.

 

However I don’t think that means that blogs should be allowed to effect mainstream media that they did during the 2004 Presidential election.  When 60 Minutes II reported that President George W. Bush may have been given special treatment during his time in the National Guard, bloggers quickly published posts questioning the authenticity of the documents upon which the whole story was based.  This set off a chain reaction of blogs and traditional news stories, all trying to prove or disprove the credibility of someone else’s story.  It all seemed to become more like gossip than actual news coverage.

 

Blogs serve a purpose.  They offer an outlet for expression to the opinionated, and allow mainstream media to expand on their coverage of a topic.   Blogs are broadening the spectrum of communication, which should be encouraged, but I believe that caution should be used when crossing blogs with traditional news coverage.  Opinions should be heard, just not confused with facts.

 

Blogs are still a new toy in the Internet age.  I think over time we will develop a way to better incorporate blogs into mainstream media and wonder how we ever lived with without them, but for now I am still skeptical of what I read in a blog.

 

 

A Personal Response to a Rather Interesting Situation

Memogate – The 2004 case of mainstream media rushing to broadcast a politically biased story and then being accused of not having all of their facts straight by the non-traditionalist bloggers.  The story accused President George W. Bush of receiving special treatment during his time in the National Guard.  It aired on Sixty Minutes II just months before the 2004 Presidential election.  I ignored the so-called “memogate” scandal four years ago, and I would rather continue to ignore it, but since it is the required topic in my journalism class that is not an option. 

 

As a consumer of the news, I find the whole “memo-gate” event completely irritating.  Politicians making a big deal of the actions or inactions of members of the opposing party, members of the press rushing stories, everyone having an opinion but no one having any real facts - and in the end what does it matter?   My initial reaction to this kind of scandal is to turn off the television and stop reading the paper.  I don’t want to hear it.  Why should I care if George W. Bush received special treatment while a member of the National Guard?  Someone, somewhere is always receiving special treatment.  As a figure skating coach, I see it all the time in an effort increase the number of boys competing at the elite level in the sport.  We need more male figure skaters to help improve our sport, so rules are stretched and exceptions are made to keep the few boys that we do have skating. Most of them (and most of their parents) know this, and know how to take advantage of their power. 

 

Politics, in my view, is the same way.  The rules don’t always apply the same way to politicians as they do to the rest of us.  People in powerful positions are there for a reason –they know how to work the system. There is a certain amount of arrogance and self-importance necessary to be a politician.  Those are not traits that tend to win you the “nicest person” or “most thoughtful” titles in the high school yearbook, but they may win you the White House.  As a voter, I believe that there are skeletons in my candidate’s closet.  I think it would be naive to believe otherwise.  No one is perfect, least of all someone looking for the power of the Presidency.  But I’m still left with the simple question of why should I care about the possibly forged documents provided to CBS?   And I’m left with the idea that as a voter I don’t care, but as a student of the media I am intrigued.

 

Personal and political preferences aside, this is an amazingly interesting case study for a graduate class.  The idea that bloggers could tarnish the image a news icon like Dan Rather, and that CBS would rush a story with out verifying facts, and that in the end the story about the story became the story, is all pretty amazing.  I find myself wondering how we got to this point.  When did the storyteller become the subject of the story? Reporters should be observers, not active participants in the story.   A story should not become bigger because journalists didn’t do their jobs right.  Government needs journalists to act as bridge between the people and the politicians, and journalists need politicians to help create the news.  I think scandals like this one just give both parties a black eye, and cause them to loose the trust of the people.   

Now I can't ignore this irritating case any longer.  I must learn from it that no journalist and no evidence is above the scrutiny of the public.  As I continue my education I will remember that not verifying facts can be deadly to a journalist, and there's always someone out there ready to catch your mistake.

 

Family Issues Beat

Family Issues Beat Issues
Subjects to be covered by this beat

1. Youth Sports
   
2. Private Schools vs. Public Schools
   
3. Divorce
4. Health Issues
   

Story ideas for Youth Sports -

1. Has participation in youth sports increased or decreased in recent years?
2. What effect does youth sports play on the obesity rate of children?
3. Are children over programed? Are too many activities, making it impossible for kids to just be kids?
   
4. Models of good sportsmanship - who's responsibility is it, coach or parent?
5. What makes a Michael Phelps (or other Olympic Athlete)?

Private Schools vs. Public Schools -

1. Why choose a private school?
2. What effect do the number of private schools in the area have on local public schools?
3. How do you start a good charter school?
4. The family tradition of attending a school - are some children "legacy students" in elementary school?
5. Why do most local K-12 schools start in mid-August?

Divorce

1. What is the current divorce rate? Has it increased or decreased?
2. Is there a stigma for children of divorce, or has it become part of the norm?
3. Are some couples more friendly after a divorce?
4. What are some unique ways to spend holidays or special occasions when both parents want to be with the kids?
5. How does a divorce effect a child's life at school? What new legal responsibilities does a school take on during a divorce?

Health

1. Are flu shots a good idea?
2. Who stays home from work today? How do families balance work and a sick child?
3. Should immunizations be required for school attendance? Are the current requirements all still necessary?
4. What is the effect of allergies or asthma on school attendance?
5. When is it time to go to the emergency room? Do parents go too often or not enough?
   

Research Question Answers

For most of my questions, my information comes from the Ralphie page of the official website of CU Athletics – cubuffs.com  Additional dates, as noted, were found on Wikipedia.

I am pretty comfortable using this as a starting point for research, but some follow-up is definitely needed for more thorough and detailed information.  The site does seem to provide factual information regarding the history and biography of the mascots, but it is also a promotional website for the sports teams of the university.  There is a donations page where you can help to support Ralphie or choose from  a variety of available CU Buffs merchandise.

1. How much does caring for Ralphie cost each year?

It costs $30,000 a year to care for Ralphie according to a September 2, 2008 article on the CU Buffs site. I also found  a USA Today article from 2007 during a Google search stating that it costs about $20,000 a year to care for the mascot. Further research is required before this information could be used in a story. My next step would be to try to reach someone in the athletic department for more accurate information.


2.&
3.What has happened to each of the former Ralphies? How many Ralphies has CU had, and what was the tenure of each?

According to the CU Buffs site there have been 5 bison named Ralphie – all female.

Ralphie I ran from 1966-end of 1978 season. October 28,1967 was the first run to lead in the team as is the current tradition.  She retired at the end of the end of the 1978 season.

Ralphie II’s first run was November 18, 1978. She ran until her sudden death after a game against Stanford on September 19, 1987. These dates are according to Wikipedia.

 

Ralphie III ran from November 7, 1987 through 1997.  She passed away in early 1998.  The State Senate passed State Resolution 98-10 in her honor according to Wikipedia. 

 

Ralphie IV first run was September 5, 1998 at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO.  She was expected to retire at the end of last season, but will instead share the running duties with Ralphie V for a while.

 

Ralphie V has not made an official game run yet, but made her first practice run during spring game on April 19, 2008 (date provided by Wikipedia).

4. Where did the current Ralphie come from?

 

The current Ralphies were both donated from a Ted Turner ranch.  Ralphie IV was born in April 1997 at Flying D Ranch Gallatin Gateway, MT and named Rowdy.  Ralphie V was born in October 2006 in Northern New Mexico at Vermejo Park Ranch and named Blackout by the CU Ralphie handlers.

5. What other universities have large live animals as mascots? (Rank the top 5).

 

To answer this question started by using a list on the website Americas Best Online that I found through a Google search. I tried to gain more information from the school’s websites or their athletic websites.  Wikipedia filled in when more information was needed and to help determine the size of the animals.

 

1. Baylor – Joy and Lady the bears.

2. LSU – Mike the Tiger.

3. University of Texas –Bevo the longhorn steer.

4. USC - Traveler the white horse.

5.Army – Mule.

 

Story Ideas

“The University of Colorado has a live buffalo mascot named Ralphie.”

 

1.  Is Ralphie a luxury?  Does the cost of having a live mascot appear in seven or eight home football games each fall offset the expense of his year-round care? What role do donations play in his upkeep?

 

2.  Who are Ralphie’s handlers?  Where do they come from and who can be one?

3.  Ralphie is part of a species that was on the brink of extinction.  What is the current status of buffalo in America?   

 

4.  What other colleges or universities have live animal mascots at their football games?  What role do these animals play in school spirit?  Do they play a role in recruiting fans with no affiliation to the school?

 

5.  A day in the life of Ralphie.  What is game day like for this football mascot?

What is a special interest group?

            To determine whether or not American media corporations are special interest groups, we must define a group and agree that our political system is made up of these groups. From my perspective special interest groups are merely a collection of people with similar needs and desires who decide to work together for a mutual goal. Wikipedia defines interest groups as, “an organized collection of people who seek to influence political decisions.” I believe that Nicholas Lemann got it right in his article “Conflict of Interests” in the August 11, 2008 edition of The New Yorker in regards to Arthur Bentley’s “The Process of Government.”  Lemann says, “All politics and all government are the result of the activities of groups.”   So, my conclusion is that government and the agencies it interacts with are is just one large collection of special interest groups - and that’s a good thing.

Politicians should be advocates for their voters’ needs and interests. Those are the special interests of those specific voters in that specific region.  In my idealized vision the politicians representing one localized group meets with other appointed representatives of other groups with similar interests and creates a special interest group that is working for the people.  A fantasy …maybe, but, a necessary fantasy in order to agree with Bentley’s concept of politics being a result of groups interacting with each other.

  But politicians aren’t just interacting with each other, there are outside influences. Influences that look a lot more like the traditional special interest groups we have come consider evil, like “big oil” companies or the tobacco industry.   Evil or not these groups are a part of the political picture, just like the media corporations. Which means that the American media corporations are political special interest groups.

           The media is the politician’s connection to the American people. Newspapers, television, radio and the Internet allow the actions of the government to be reported to the people.  However, this is not act performed out of the goodness of the corporation’s capitalist heart.  Media corporations must keep in mind their main interest and goal – to create a sellable product – while reporting on politics.  Media needs to make the actions of the politicians an interesting story.  The consumer has to want to buy the product that story.   If the story “doesn’t sell” then the corporation isn’t making money, and if the corporation isn’t making money it won’t stay in business very long. But if we were to lose these media corporations, then we would loose our connection to government. The interaction between the media corporations and the political special interest groups is what ties the whole process together.  Each is dependent on the actions of the other group, while continually focusing on their own interests, which is why I believe that American media corporations must be special interest groups.