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Interesting how this is written

Outfield Experience is a big hit

Local:

Depression, addiction were companions of man found dead in Ham Lake pond

Minn. House Ponders: Who Is A Journalist?



National:

Williams hears viewers' plea for good news

Gunman Kills 10 in Alabama, Then Takes His Life



International:

To my special friend Gordon, 25 DVDs: Obama gives Brown a set of classic movies. Let's hope he likes the Wizard of Oz

Obama's Blockbuster Gift for Brown: 25 DVDs

After Killings Linked to I.R.A. Factions, Northern Ireland Defends Its Fragile Peace



*Evaluation of: To my special friend Gordon, 25 DVDs: Obama gives Brown a set of classic movies. Let's hope he likes the Wizard of Oz

We have been discussing writing more like a narrative when telling the our stories. The premise behind that is showing the reader what is going on rather than telling the reader. In this article the beginning is strongly narrative-like. It does not continue to do that throughought the entire article. However the beginning is done well and gives the reader a reader a break from the dry facts.

Local:

Six Men Busted For 'Urban' Snowboarding
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_11830294
Birk Leaves Minnesota Vikings For Baltimore
http://www.twincities.com/ci_11835768?source=most_emailed

National:

Spacecraft To Orbit Around Sun
http://www.startribune.com/nation/40747737.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Eagle Breaks Through Windshield
http://www.startribune.com/nation/40742972.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU


International:

Clinton's Mideast Trip
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/washington/05diplo.html?_r=1&ref=world
Global Recession
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/worldbusiness/10global.html

*Evaluation of Eagle Breaks Through Windshield:

Recently in class we have been discussing how to write stories so that the reader feels like they are really there. Writing in a way that the reader feels more of a participant than a spectator. Although this piece does not do a fabulous job it does have some good aspects to it. It consists of many quotes from the two men who experienced this event. The told what they were feeling and how they were reacting to the situation. Ideally if this piece was going to be in more of a narrative format they author would not have started with spitting out most of the key details right away. The author would have built the story up with having the eagle crash through the windshield in the end.

Local:

Snowplow Kills
http://www.startribune.com/local/40404267.html?elr=KArks:DCiUoaW_eEO7UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
Teen Not Charged For Killing Friend
http://www.startribune.com/40417392.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiacyKU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs

National:

Bishop Offers Apology
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/world/europe/27bishop.html?_r=1&em
U.S. Secretly Training In Pakistan
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/world/asia/23terror.html?bl&ex=1235883600&en=11a82b830c5bac72&ei=5087%0A


International:

HIV Infected Blood Sent To Obama
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/27/chicago-man-arrested-allegedly-targeting-obama-hiv-infected-blood/
Micael Vick Approved For Home Confinement
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,501027,00.html

*Evaluation of HIV Infected Blood Sent To Obama:

We have been learning about story forms. The most common story form is the inverted pyramid. The pyramid starts with the most important information at the top and then works its way to the least important at the end. The story starts off with the lead that a man attempted to harm or kill Obama by sending him HIV infected blood in the mail. As the story continues we learn who the man is. Further on in the story we learn some background about this man and that he has somewhat of a record of being mentally disturbed. The story ends by saying this is not the first time HIV positive blood has been sent through the mail. This story followed the inverted pyramid pretty well and is a good example to learn from.

Local:

Mahnomen County sheriff's deputy shot
http://www.startribune.com/local/39843087.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Coleman's request rejected
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_11735544?nclick_check=1

National:

Protests alter Facebook terms of use
http://www.twincities.com/national/ci_11729820
$275 billion plan to rectify housing crisis
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/business/19housing.html?_r=1&ref=us

International

U.S.-China talks
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/washington/19pacific.html?ref=world
Nuclear subs collide
http://www.twincities.com/ci_11718811?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com

*Evaluation of Nuclear subs collide:

Recently we have been discussing what makes a news story and how to properly write leads. This story is unusual, not often do you hear about submarines colliding. The last similar incident I found was from 1994. The unusual nature of the story makes it very news worthy. However the story does not have much human interest, helpfullness, or impact. The lead of this story begins with "Two submarines carrying nuclear weapons,..." This is a powerful introduction not often are submarines talked about let alone ones carrying nuclear weapons. So the reader continues to find out that the submarines "collided while submerged on patrols in the Atlantic this month,..." What are the odds of that? Not very good. In the lead, in one sentence (with a few commas) who, what, where, and when are answered. The rest of the article is mostly filler, since the lead pretty well sums up what happened. There was limited damage and both subs made it home safely. An interesting aspect of this article is that the collision occured February 3rd and did not make it into the news for a few weeks. I assume both the French and British wanted to make sure nothing seriouse went wrong (such as leaking nuclear materials into the ocean) before they went public with the information.