Monday, February 28, 2011

10 Steps to Writing a Story

1. Find a topic
-What is your story about
-Who is your audience
-Why is the story important to your audience

TOPICS:
Facebook growing among adults
Drug and Alcohol related car accidents with high school students involved

2. Find an Angle
-What about your topic?
-More specifically, what is important about your topic?
-What should the reader learn?
-Summarize in 3 words: Subject, verb, object
-ex. Wife awaits solider

3. Collect Information
-Who are the experts for this story?
-Do you need opposing points of view?
-What interview questions should I ask?
-What other research must be done to complete the story?

4. Interview
-Asking open ended questions.
-Filling silence.
-Non question, question.
-Rule of threes.
-Get good sound bytes. Piece of audio that can stand alone.

Jonesboro Shootings

What happened? A school shooting where 4 female students and a teacher were killed.
Who did it? Andrew Golden and Mitchell Johnson
Why? They had dark sides to them and listened to rap music, and probably thought that since rappers talk about killing people that its okay.
What type of angle would you do for the story? Im glad that they got charged with murder.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

NOTES

1. What are the 5 freedoms of the 1st amendment?
-Religon
-Press
-Speech
-Petition
-Assembly
2. What is the Tinker Standard?
Student speech cannot be censored as long as it does not "materially disrupt class work or involved substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others."
3. What is the Frasier Standard?
School has the power to censor student speech that is vulgar or indecent, even if it does not cause a "material or substantial disruption."
4. What is the Hazelwood Standard?
Student expression is permissible when school officials can show that it is "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns."
5. What is the Frederick Standard?
Schools can not censor students actions or speech outside of school.
6. What is the definition of libel?
Legal term for writing false statements of fact about a person. Defamatory-more insulting then offensive, must actually harm the persons reputation. Must be published, and about the plaintiff.

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris Set Wedding Date

http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/24/hugh-hefner-crystal-harris-wedding-date/

This article is pretty much about how the 24 year old Crystal Harris is getting married to the 84 year old Hugh Hefner. They apparently have set the date for June 18th 2011. When one of his ex girlfriends was asked if she would be attending she said no and also went on to say that she does not think that Crystal is the right match for Hugh and that she thinks that she is too young to settle down. I think its obvious what all of those girls are after and its not his love.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Article 1: Student Suspended for Insulting Teacher on Facebook

Which court standard did someone follow or break in your article?
The Constitution bars schools from speech, unless speech creates material or substantial disruption to the school environment.
Do you agree with the decisions in your article?
Some what, he shouldn't be made to think that what he did is okay, but at the same time everyone does have freedom of speech.
What do you feel should have been done in this instance?
That he shouldn't have had any legal punishment but probably a talking to by the school.
What do you feel will be the future of rights in today's digital age?
I feel as though peoples rights through digital means will be somewhat blurred. I think it will really depend on what the person said or did. It is never going to be just black and white there are always going to be shades of grey with this topic.
What rights do you have inside of school?
All of the same rights just as long as it is not disruptive to school, vulgar, or inappropriate.
What rights do you have outside of school?
Freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Wisconsin Power Play

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/opinion/21krugman.html?ref=todayspaper

The article talks about how Paul Ryan made a remark about "Its like Cario has moved to Madison" in regaurds to Scott Walker. Scott Walker is a republican that Ryan has compaired to Hosni Mubarak. I do kind of agree with what Paul is saying, I believe many republican candiates have been trying to totally change the way that America works with giving great benefits to the rich and leaving the poor to die pretty much. I get that not ALL less fortunate people deserve money to be thrown at them, because many of those people did it to themselves, but I do believe those people should be given the chance to turn their lifes around instead of hanging them out to dry. Just because we have a democrat in office doesnt mean that all we need is a republican to bail us out, lets not forget who really got america into this trouble in the first place.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Rihanna Sued: David LaChapelle Alleges 'S&M' Video Steals From His Art

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/15/rihanna-sued-david-lachapelle-sm_n_823308.html?ir=Arts

Apparently Rihanna, in her newest music video took pictures from the famous photographer David LaChapelle and made them into scenes. He says that she not only did it one time but in many different scenes. Im personally so tired of seeing Rihannas' drama in the news. I think she is a wannabe Lady Gaga. She wants to set herself apart from everyone but isn't original enough to think of her own ideas, so she takes other peoples.

Monday, February 14, 2011

3 die after separate Wisconsin snowmobile crashes

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/906914/14/3-die-after-separate-Wisconsin-snowmobile-crashes

I think its so weird how 3 people that didnt even know each other died due to snowmobiles. One was a 17-year-old girl who crashed on a trail, the other was a 69 year-old man and the third was a male who was thrown from the snowmobile and later died that day from injuries. That would suck to be having a good time with your friends snowmobiling then you mess up and die. I also think its weird how all of the three happened in Wisconson all around the same time.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

St. Louis Park teen to use insanity defense in Iowa killings

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/115678529.html

I think this teenager is using the "insanity" defence as just that, a defense. I do not think he is at all insane, he is just scarred because he killed two inocent people in an attempt to rob a convience store. He knew going into that he was going to kill people or else he wouldn't have braught a loaded gun. He is just pleading insanity because he is being charged with adult murder and robbery which will give him a super long sentence. People like that need to be locked up alone for as long as their life holds out, they should be able to see the light of day.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Gifford Speaks

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41492254/ns/us_news/

After being shot in the head on January 8th 2011, congress women Giffords of Arizona is speaking. She asked for toast with her breakfast and ever since then has been speaking more and more. Many people are saying that this has marked a milestone for the congress women. She is eating three meals a day and is recovering well so far. They hope she is well enough to attend her husbands space shuddle launch in April.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Gunfire, clashes erupt as night falls in Cairo (summary)

Many supporters of president Hosni Mubarak have been protesting to keep him in office until his term is finally up. This is causing chaos among Cairo as Hosni supports and non-supporters use warfar to fight each other. They have been fighting for over 24 hours and have left at least 13 people dead. In an attempt to settle all the violence Egyptian army tanks cleared away pro government rioters.