For Muslims, Day of Celebration Amid Controversy

The New York Times By: Michael M. Grymbaum Published: September 26, 2010

Many Muslims came out on Sunday for the American Muslim Day Parade. This was a tradition started in 1985 to bring Muslims together who have different ethnicities and nationalities. They prayed at the intersection in the center of Midtown Manhattan, where the parade also took place. This year, the parade had many problems. The first problem was that not many Muslims showed up. The population of the concert was very low because the Muslim people were worried about their safety. Even though there were Muslim police officers in full uniforms and fire trucks, many had not felt that sense of security. The second problem with the parade was the controversy over the planned Islamic center and mosque near ground zero. A man wanted to show his support brought his whole family because he wanted his children to see people speaking different languages from different cultures under the Islamic flag.

Syed Alirahi, A lieutenant with the fire department of Elmsford, stated to the New York Times that they were all public servants and they will fight for their country.

The headline of the article actually got me since its not too many stories about a Muslim Parade in the newspapers. After reading the lead I was even more interested into what the story was about. I would say this is a warming article enlightening you about these people.

I choose this article because I wanted something different from my first article and something in New York City and the American Muslim Day Parade was the one I found.

Soldier Describes Murder of Afghan for Sport in Leaked Tape

The New York Times
September 27, 2010, 5:10 pm
By: Robert Mackey

Five soldiers from The United States Army were charged with the murder of three Afghanistan civilians. They would kill them then keep their bones to take pictures with and to store. The captain of the group would also bring grenades to put beside the bodies so it could look like they had been hit by a bomb. This information was found out from one of the men involved, Jeremy Morlock, who had given some information to an investigator. The tape that the story was on was then leaked. If the sergeant who was accused with the charges for manslaughter is guilty, he can face the death penalty. The defense that Morlock’s lawyer has is that his client was on medication at the time of his statement so it cannot be true. Sergeant Gibbs which is the ringleader has bragged before to the men about getting away with similar killings in Iraq. The statements that Marlock gave to the investigator insinuate that the murders were premeditated. Because the murders might be premeditated, this gives the army a stronger case against the men.

The soldiers have claimed that they are innocent of the charges against them even though the interrogation tape proves that Morlock was basically telling the Army investigator all that prosecutors needed to know. More over, seven other members of the brigade with the five accused soldiers have been accused of drug use and trying to prevent the investigation of the case.

The headline of the story didn’t really jump out at me. If I saw this in a news paper I highly doubt that I would have read it. But as I proceeded to read the lead of the story I realized that it was something that I am interested in. I already had questions reading it as in why would an Army investigator know that these men committed these crimes.

I choose this article because I was shocked that the people trying to save the country and give freedom are killing innocent people. We put our trust in the Army that they are going to get resources that we need but at the same time protect us. But unfortunately, these soldiers were not interested in that.

Told to Eat its Vegetables, America Orders

 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/25/health/policy/25vegetables.html?ref=us
"Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries" By Kim Severson, New York Times.
     In the past ten to twenty years Americans stop eating their vegetables.There has been a complete decrease the past few years in how we manage to eat our vegetables, today less than 26% of the population its the 3 servings of vegetables reccomend. For many people eating vegetables is a "pain" because, they have to adjust their busy life in order to get to eat fresh vegetables. Today when people go to resturant as an entree they don't order a salad. Many people are afraid of vegetables because, one they don't know how to eat it or two they don't know how to cook it. Even people that work in health departments in hospitals, are not setting the best exsample because they are not eating enough vegetables either. To improve this bad habit of not eating vegetables, the Baby Carrot Industry has stablish many vending machines with baby carrots so people can eat there vegetables on the go! But is it working.
    
     The headline of this story, go very well with it because its telling the readers that vegetables don't only consist on only one that our three porsions of vegetables are made up of many more veggies out there.The lead was written in an active voice, the lead tell us that people that harvest veggies are trying to do everything they can for people to eat more vegetables. The sources in theis article was Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This story is newsworthy because, is telling us that we do need vegetables in a regular basis to be healthy and that eating healthy can be easy and fun.
     
      I chose this article because I'm a big believer in eating vegetables and that veggeis make up a really big part of our diet and just because we don't like some of those veggies out there we have to stop eating them

New Battle Field, Old War

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/world/asia/27afghan.html?_r=1&hp

 "American and Afghan Troops Begin Combat for Kandahar" by ROD NORDLAND
Published: September 26, 2010



This article is about a new conquest that the American troops are facing in this late stage of the war. The head line is longer than average. The headline properly fits the article because it clearly states what the article is going to be about. Which is the the fighting that is taking place in Kandahar to rid it of its Taliban strong hold. For this reason alone the headline fits. The lead is longer than average, as is the head line. The lead contains thirty-seven words. This makes the lead very boring. If I was not interested in the war it self i would not want to read the Article. The lead works at the same time because it gives a good description of what the article will be focusing on. Which is the fighting of the Taliban by American and Afghan troops in order to flush out the Taliban. There are few sources  for this Article, but these sources are very reliable. One source is General Josef Blotz, "a NATO spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul". I would believe he would be most reliable as far as the war in the Middle East because the bases of the war was national security. Another source of this article was the Chief of Police in the Zhari district. He would also be reliable because he must be aware of all fighting going on in his district. The last source was Colonel Rafael Torres. He also belongs to the "ISAF". The general and colonel are military ranking titles. This gives them good credit in dealing with the war when their words are read in a news paper. Other good sources would have been General Colon Powell, the Secretary of Defense, or the Commander in Chief/President of The United States of America. This article could have been written in an exciting way. Combat and shoot outs should be exciting things to read about. The tone could have been more lively. It could also speak of how this would be one of the last battles in this war being as troops have been being pulled out of the Middle East periodically due to President Obama's ending of the war. This would have added more spunk and made the article a bit more interesting. What made this article news worthy was its timeliness. It took place recently. It also has to do with a war that is currently ending. It falls under the category of human interest. People want to know what is going on with their nation and country.  I believe the story was detailed and gave a lot of information. It was very informative, but it was delivered in a boring way. It was giving fact by fact but with out an intriguing delivery. I picked this article because I wondered why there would still be fighting when the war is suppose to be over. I was also wondering why this operation would be taking place so late in the war. Maybe these are the last efforts being made before the U.S. fully disengage from a war that should have never taken place.

And lastly....
Write a brief personal response to story. Why did you select this article?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/us/26pastor.html

Sex Scandal Threatens Georgia's Pastor Empire

This article written in the New York Times is about a pastor who started off with a small church and turned it into a multi-millionaire business. and now unfortunately for him is being accused of trying to commit homosexual acts towards a group of four young men.

The lead of the story does not pull me in. It talks about how he built his business and what it is but it takes too long to get to the meat of the story. I had to wait until the middle of the story to figure out what the problem was. Because the purpose of the story took so long it did not make the story as effective. The sources in the story used were not that strong. They did not use direct sources like the boys who blamed him or the pastor himself. It makes the story seem as if it is a publicity stunt.

The news determinants revealed in this story is prominence and timeliness. Prominence is used because the pastor made a million dollar foundation through his church. He's a popular person is his state. Timeliness is used because people want to know about what is happening in the church right now. If it does not get out to people right now it will not be as serious as it should be or paid attention to. The article is missing detail. It needs to tell more of what happened so that people understand its seriousness.

I chose this article because this is not the first time I have heard about sex scandals taking place in "houses of God." I feel like if this is really taking place it's not being taking serious. In my opinion, Pastors and Priest need to be evaluated before they can have those positions just so that everyone who trusts in them can be comfortable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/realestate/26cov.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

The article "Landlords are back in control" which was published by the New York Times is about how landlords are beginning to not fear losing tenants. Last year, landlords used to give renters two months worth of free rent just so that they would move in and help support the landlord. Now in New York City there are not any vacancies so that new buildings can be made. This forces renters to move in to what ever is available and take whatever deals they can get. According to the article, landlords are taking advantage of that and using it against tenants.

I feel that the title of the article is appropriate for the name. In the article it talks about how last year landlords were giving out unbelievable deals just to make some type of money, now because renters need them more than vice versa they have the control to act and charge however they feel necessary. The news determinant that this article focuses on is timeliness. The rent rising is something people want to know about now. Once it blows off, talking about it becauses unecessary. I feel that the sources used like a tenant who was affected by the rent increase, the president of the city habitats Mr. Marlin, and a number of landlords who decided to raise the rents. I think those were effecient sources because they are direct people who deal exactly with what is going on. I feel the article was missing more quotes. I believe with more quotes, they could attract more readers who may have felt the same way.

I believe the article was well written. I was pulled to the story because my parents rent and increases in what they may could affect the household. I believe the city should get involved and put a limit on things like that. New York City's poverty rate is already at its highest and with rent increases by 1,000+ many families may be forced to leave and relocate.

Man Is Arrested in Death of Brooklyn Boy, 2

By Al Baker and Ann Farmer


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/nyregion/26child.html?ref=nyregion

The headline of this story seems sad and also seems like it will explain in a whole what the story will be based upon. The lead was written introducing the incident that took place on Friday in Brooklyn NY. This is a what lead because it is expressing what took place on Sept. 24^th. This lead was most effective because it let me know exactly what took place and persuaded me to want to read more into the story. A source in the article was the aunt (Pamela Davis) of the young boy who passed away that day. Another source that I feel would have made the story even more worthwhile is the explanation of the caretaker and his speaking on the incident. There is nothing he can say to explain why he killed the child but I would at least want to know what led up to the event. The mothers statement should also have been incorporated in the article because it was her child that this happened to and we didn’t hear anything from her. This story is news worthy because it speaks on something going on in our neighborhoods. Also exposing things that should be prevented, and gives us reasons to think of ways to prevent this from happening again.
I selected this article because the headline caught my eye. Who wouldn’t care to read about a two year old who lost their life. I also felt like It could lead to articles written about in the future on ways we can protect family members by watching who they surround themselves with.

Democrats Unleash Ads Focusing on Rivals’ Pasts

By Jeff Zeleny

 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/us/politics/26dems.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

The headline gives me the idea that the democratic party is using their rivals past in order to make them look bad and big themselves up. This story goes perfectly with what the headline was trying to portray. Democrats are bringing up past issues that republicans who hold seats in congress or are running for a seat did and why they shouldn’t be allowed in the house. The lead was written first telling the location then what was taking place. The lead was a WHAT lead and I would say it was effective because the first thing it stated was exactly what was going on in the election and what strategies parties were using. Sources in this article were many republicans who used the offensive tactics such as Betty Sutton and Harry E. Mitchell. Another source that could have been used is one of a seat holder with an opinion of why they think republicans chose to use this strategy this time around. This is important because it shows how hard the republicans are willing to go to win the race. This is also newsworthy because it effects the future of the people. These are the people who will be in office working for the people (citizens) so they should take heed to what’s going on in congress, pay attention, and vote for what’s right.

I chose to write on this story because this focuses on the future elections and is speaking on who will soon be coming into office. If the people do not pay attention and actually vote for who they feel are suitable for the job of supporting them they will wind up being the ones getting the raw end of the stick. People are basically cheating themselves by not paying attention to the political aspect of news.

Video from Friday's concert

If you look closely, you can see some of our students (including journalism students Nikko and Latricia) enjoying the concert. I do think I see Latia's camera in there too!

Death at a College Party!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/nyregion/26seton.html?hp

"Seton Hall Student Is Fatally Shot at a Party" Al Baker and Nate Schweber


This article is about a college party held at Seton Hall University which resulted in the death of a student, Jessica A. Moore. The headline was the perfect attention grabber. The headline pertained to college students and since I'm currently a senior this article was a wake up call to me. It made me aware of the dangers that can occur when you go away for college if you're not cautious about your whereabouts and surroundings. The headline works with the story because it gets straight to the point. There is no need to read between the lines because it says what the article is going to be about in plain and simple words. The lead was written to keep the reader's interested in the story. It stated the facts and explained exactly what took place the night of the party. This was a WHAT lead because it stated what occurred. The lead was very effective because it put emphasis on how serious the situation was. The sources used in the article included: the authorities, Sergeant Di Elmo, Jessica Townsend, Laura A. Wankel, Delores Sarfo-Darko, Mrs. Moore's Father, and an unknown person with the last name Kay. Some other sources that could have been included would be Jessica's mother, a teacher who knew Jesscia Moore at Seton Hall University, and some witnesses who were at the scene of the party. These sources might be helpful because it would stress how Jessica's lost effected those around her. It would also give the readers more of an idea of exactly what took place the night of the party and who did what. Something else that should be included was what are the next step to finding the culprit who killed Jessica Moore. All i remember was the police officers stating was that the guy got away, I would like to know if a search was conducted to follow up on the missing guy. This story is newsworthy because it shows what can go wrong at these college parties. This article is meant to grab the attention of parents, high school seniors who are getting ready to go to college, and current college students. Articles like this make students and parents aware of what college life is like and what can happen when things go wrong.


i chose this article because I'm a teenager and all teens want to have fun. We're young and just want to have a good time with our friends. Although all we're having fun we never stop to think about what can happen at these "fun events", whether its the good or the bad. We're so caught up in the mix having a good time with our friends that we don't stop to think about the negative things that can happen to us as a result.

News Friday 9/26/10

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/education/23newark.html?ref=education

Facebook Founder to Donate $100 Million to Help Remake Newark’s Schools

The New York Times

Richard Perez-Pena

The article is about the founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg deciding he’s going to donate $100 million to Newark schools in order to allow the system to be redesigned and become better. The headline of the story works well with it because it catches reader’s attention by including a dollar amount that is so high. The lead is a “what lead which is very useful because it explains everything the article is about in one sentence. There were sources in the story but not of them were mentioned by name. The information that was given by sources had to remain anonymous because the official announcement was going to be made a couple days later. I think the story could talk more about how Zuckerberg decided to donate so much money to schools that he has never experienced in person because he grew up in Westchester County. I think the story could have had more statistics in order to give readers the feel of how bad Newark schools really are.

The news determinant that makes this story is human interest because a lot of people are interested in knowing why Zuckerberg is donating such a high dollar amount in order to benefit the schools. So many people are interested in the education system in the United States and to see that someone like Zuckerberg who has made his fortune for creating Facebook seems interested in something like the educational system in Newark.

I chose this article because I thought it was interested how a celebrities and two politicians have come together to make the schools of Newark a place where students can actually get a magnificent education. The headline also attracted me to the story because I have been hearing all over the news about this huge donation by Zuckerberg was going to be making to the schools of Newark. Overall I think it’s amazing that someone like Zuckerberg is going to donate so much money for a better cause.

A Celebrity's Angel

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/nyregion/26bondsman.html?pagewanted=1&ref=nyregion

Bailing Out the Stars

By JOHN ELIGON

Published: September 24, 2010

This article is about a man named Ira Judelson who helps get all the celebrities out of jail. He is a bondsman who pretty much tells the judges that he will pay for bail if the person in jail can't come up with the money fast enough. in exchange he gets something, like property that is worth the same amount of the bail, like a deed to a house in the case of Plaxico Burress.

I think the headline is good for this story. I think it is a real eye catcher. it makes you want to read about this man and how he gets these celebrities out of jail. the sources of this story is Mr. Judelson himself and people who worked with him. But this article should have included quotes from the people that he helped out. Those quotes would have made the story much more interesting to read. i don't think anything should have been added to the story. i actually think the opposite. I think the story was too long and should be cut shorter for the purpose of keeping the readers interest. people don't have the time to read long news articles any more so the shorter the better. This article used Human Interest because i am sure people wonder how these celebrities are getting away with some of the things they do.

I chose to write about this article because i wanted to know who was helping these celebrities get away with the things that would land regular people in jail. i wanted to know the secret and was completely drawn in when i found out that the secret is a man who works in the NY area. I also picked this article because i know most of the people that he helped out.

Sex Scandal in Church!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/us/26pastor.html?_r=1&hp

"Sex Scandal Threatens a Georgia Pastor's Empire" James C. McKinley. New York Times.


This article speaks about a pastor from Georgia, Bishop Eddie L. Long who was accused of a sex scandal within his own congregation. This pastor owns a Baptist Church which is composed of multimillion-dollar businesses and enterprises. The headline of this story is very eye-catching simply because associate a pastor with the term Sex Scandal it seems very ironic, which draws the reader in. The readers become interested because they want to learn more about the topic. However, the lead of this article was not as interesting as the headline of the article itself. It seemed to me like the lead was written to just give a brief description of the pastor himself and how his church is expanding rapidly. The lead didn't get straight to the point of the article. The sources that were used in the article included: The four former members of the Youth Group, Reverend Timothy McDonald III (a friend of Bishop Long), the members of the church, and the Bishop himself. Some other sources that could have been used include: the Bishop's family, his wife and parents, and even more members of the congregation. Since these are the people that knows the Bishop best it would give the readers more of an idea of what kind of person the Bishop is in his personal life. These sources would add a sense of hospitality towards the Bishop since things aren't in favor of the Bishop as we speak. The only thing that I think is missing is a few more quotes from the Bishop himself and how he feels about all the accusations that are being made against him. We hear from everyone else throughout the article but we hardly hear any words from the Bishop. I think it would be a good idea if the author of the article were to states how the Bishop feels about the whole situation and what's his next move. I think this story is newsworthy because it speaks on religion. Religion plays a huge role in the lives of many people and it is very important to know whats going on inside the "church" itself. This story sought to expose the dangers that can occur if the wrong "Pastor" is leading the church.

I chose this article because I come from a family who goes to church. A church is suppose to be a holy place a place where all sins are abolished and this article stated the exact opposite. I found it very ironic and strange that a pastor would so something as horrible as bribing youths for sex. It was disgusting and a complete outrage. I wanted to learn more about this pastor that was accused of these acts and how it affected the youths.

Child abuse in Brooklyn!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/nyregion/26child.html?src=un&feedurl=http://json8.nytimes.com/pages/nyregion/index.jsonp

Man Is Arrested in Death of Brooklyn Boy, 2

By AL BAKER and ANN FARMER

Published: September 25, 2010

This Article is about a Man and a Woman's arrest for the death of their son. A two year old boy

named Aiyden Davis, was found dead in his apartment, and the cause of death was reported to be due to impact injuries and internal bleeding. The man Reginald Williams, was charged with second- degree murder, while the mother Teresa Foster was charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal possessions of a weapon.

I think this headline is a good fit for the article. I think it is an eye catcher for mothers and people who like and are concerned about kids, and their safety. This article used a what lead because it got straight to the point of what happened. A boy died and his suspected murders were charged. the sources in the article include the Spokeswoman from the medical examiners office, Pamela Davis, the aunt of Ms. Foster and the spokesman for the administration for child services. i think this article used the right sources. these sources were able to give enough information to the reporter so he can publish an good story. although this article is very good , i think it could have added more about the previous reports of child abuse in the house hold, and it could have also made that part a little more clear. i think it should have explained it with a little more detail, which would have made this story that much better. this article uses Human Interest because a lot of people would be interested in a story about an unfortunate event that has anything to do with kids. it also uses Proximity because this happened in Brooklyn.

I choose to write about this article because the headline about a 2 year old being killed stood out to me. i also choose to pick this article because maybe and hopefully this would raise awareness on the subject of child abuse. Maybe this article will reach somebody and make them want to speak up about child abuse instead of turning a blind eye to it.

Interesting article idea

This article in The Post would make a great article idea for our paper. How is this affecting students and after school programs?
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/football/new_rule_has_psal_teams_on_the_outside_KNANYm1eopzTadzqlk3ddO/1

News Friday 9/25/10

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/25/nyregion/25bedbugs.html?ref=nyregion

“Bedbugs Finding a Way into New York’s Schools” Geoffrey Decker. New York Times.

The article talks about the increase in bedbugs found in school. As years pass, more and more schools call 311 notifying them that there is a bedbug infestation in the school. I think the headline is effective because it candidly tells readers that New York schools have been found to have bedbugs. The lead was written to show readers that bedbugs are in public schools. The lead is straight to the point.
The sources used in the article are the teacher and principle of a bedbug infested school. Also, the article includes information from New York City’s 311 help line. I think that other statistics could have been used or information obtained from students who have actually seen bedbugs in schools. These pieces of information would help the writer better support his claim of bedbug infested schools. This information would also help people see that bedbugs are a growing problem in New York.
The news determinant that makes this article newsworthy is consequence. The article presents a problem found in New York City public schools that will affect students from schools in places like Brooklyn or Queens. It is the readers’ decision whether they choose to do something about the bedbug infestation in schools.
The reason that I selected this article is because the headline caught my attention. I am constantly hearing in the news that the number of bedbugs have increased. I also hear other people talking about how bedbugs are found in other places, such as movie theaters. As I read the article, I thought of how much of a problem bedbugs can become if people don’t do anything to get rid of them. New York City is a busy city; because of this, bedbugs can easily spread.

News Friday 9/25/10

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/opinion/19kristof.html?ref=opinion

“Message to Muslims: I’m Sorry” by Nicholas D. Kristof. The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/opinion/19kristof.html?ref=opinion
“Message to Muslims: I’m Sorry” by Nicholas D. Kristof. The New York Times.

The article is about Kristof’s opinion on the way American extremists have acted towards the Muslim population. The headline of the article does work well with the story because it expresses Kristof’s feelings about the unjust ways Muslims have been perceived in the U.S.: as terrorists. The lead of the article is a “what” lead. This lead is effective because it introduces the reader the over-arching theme of the article. The sources of the story are an article from the Portland Press Herald in Maine, a blog by James Poniewozik, and Mr. Connor, the author of an article about praying Muslims written on a September 11th. I think that the article should discuss more about the burning of Koran incident because it would strengthen Kristof’s argument by showing how extremists disrespect a religion then continue to stereotype people of that religion as terrorists.
The news determinant that makes the article newsworthy is human interest because the article deals with an ongoing conflict against a religious minority. People would be interested in an article like this because they either feel strongly against the persecution of Muslims or they are angered by the thought of people defending the Muslim community. Because such an article can arouse feelings of hatred towards Muslims and feelings of support towards Muslims, people will be interested in reading the article.
I selected this article because the headline shows support towards the Muslim community. When I read the headline, I was interested in what the author of the article had to say about Muslims and about the recent expressions of hostility towards them. I agree with the article because I find it unfair that a religious minority has been blamed for the debacle of 9/11. If an entire ethnic/religious group was to be blamed for the actions of certain people, no religion or ethnic group would be “right” i.e. everyone would be classified as depraved, corrupt people.

News Friday 9/17/2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703470904575499933800929648.html?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLELEADNewsCollection

Muslims Seek Unity at Summit on New York Mosque

The Wall Street Journal

Associated Press

In the past couple of months there has been a constant debate over a plan to build a Mosque Center two blocks away from Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center. In order to discuss the issues related to the Mosque center there will be a summit of Islamic organization in New York City starting on Sunday. Many different organizations are coming together at this summit to discuss the issues about being raised about the prejudices on the Islamic religion. When the proposal first came up many American Muslims had doubts to support the plan but some have decided to put their support behind the Mosque center.

The headline of the story seems to be very positive because it shows that Muslims are trying to come to agreement so everyone can be happy. The headline works with the story because the whole point of the story is to show that many Islamic organizations are coming together to have some sort of consensus on the Mosque center. The sources in the story are leaders of Islamic organizations and one of the real estate partners of the building where the Mosque center is set to be built. The whole story is based on human interest because everyone is interested in finding out the outcome of this new Mosque center.

I chose to do this article because I think it’s very important how much backlash has come against the Islamic religion after the September 11 attacks. I personally think that there shouldn’t be a Mosque center so close to Ground Zero because to me it seems like a sign of extreme disrespect. September 11 was one of the worst tragedies this country has ever suffered and to have a center dedicated to the same religion of the people who attacked our nation is discomforting. I believe that Islam’s have the right to have a Mosque center but somewhere that isn’t as close to Ground Zero because having it there will stir up too many feelings of hatred and anger.

Barbara Martinez Wall Street Journal article

Here is the article Barbara was talking about in class today. The main idea she mentions in the article about teachers being laid off is also true in NYC. Our school didn't lay off any teachers this past year.

Here's another article she wrote recently that you might find interesting. It would make for a good story for our paper. How do LACJ students do on the SAT compared to students citywide?

News Fridays are now online!

One of the best ways to become a better writer is to read quality writing. As journalism students, you also need to be aware of the world around you and attempt to make sense of it through a journalistic lens.

Each week, you will be required to locate an article from one of the news sites listed below and analyze the way it was written. Make sure you choose a full-length article (not a News in Brief article or anything that does not have a byline). You may choose any article from News, Sports, Features or Opinion. You will not be allowed to do the same type of story two weeks in a row, though, so mix it up. Your responses should be in the 300 word range.

You are to create your own posting for each News Friday. Title your post, like this one is above. Underneath the title, paste the url that contains the link to your article. Underneath that, type out the name of the article, the name of the publication and the name of the writer. Then, in a new paragraph, begin your response/analysis.

Here's what to analyze:

• What do you think of the headline? How does it work with the story?
  
• How was the lead written? What type of lead did the article use? Describe its effectiveness.
• What were the sources in the article? What other sources could have been used? Why?
• What else needs to be in the article? Why? (Don't say nothing)
• What news determinants went into play for this article? Basically, why is this story newsworthy?

And lastly....

• Write a brief personal response to story. Why did you select this article?
  

News sites from which you may select an article:
The New York Times
The Washington Post
The Wall Street Journal (Yes, you can even review your mentor's articles!)

The last part of the assignment is that you are to comment on at least two other News Friday posts. What did you think of their article? (Yes, you will need to read it!). Do you agree/disagree with what the student wrote about? Why? Don't just write on everyone's post that they did a good job or that you agree. Be more specific. Don't be afraid to disagree.

All of your posts need to be made by 10 a.m. Sunday each week. I would suggest you post your News Friday and then stop back later to comment on the others. Yes, you can write more than two comments. No, you cannot comment on your own original post.