Search local or national news websites for a news story worthy of discussing with the class.
Post the link so your classmates can view these stories.
Give a synopsis of the article, reflect your views on what makes this article newsworthy and discuss its impact in terms of larger societal issues.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
35 comments:
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/woman-charged-with-driving-while-on-drugs-striking-police-cruiser-in-deer-park-1.1599494
This article was about a nearby women in Deer Park was charged with driving while on drugs. the article doesn't give much detail, but it mainly just states that she was impeared by drugs on tuesday night and struck a police car. Neither was injured but this is still a serious accident. What would lead that women to drive when she was clearly under the influence. I think this atricle was definatly newsworthy because it shows what dangers driving on the road can bring. You never know whether the car behind you is on drugs or not. Its very scarey to think of it that way but its the truth. This article proving it because the town that it took place in is only 20 minutes away. It could happen anywhere.
Lauren Graff pd.2
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/14moon.html?ref=space
This article is about the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite that smashed into the moon. The idea is that the impact will kick up soil in craters that could be analyzed, and they found 26 gallons of water. It is a significant discovery because it opens up the doors to humans expanding their reach. Water can be used for air to breathe, rocket fuel, and hydration. It is one small step for man, and whatever, blah, blah for something else.
John Dodaro Per. 2
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/17/china.climate.change/index.html
This article is about how the United States and China plan to work cooperatively to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The article also states how a climate change agreement, much like the Kyoto Protocol, could be made at a conference in Copenhagen. It is very important that the U.S and China are going to start working together since those two countries release the most greenhouse gases. Also, if the U.S and China combine their technology and strategies, they could come up with a way to slow global warming and how to use energy more efficiently.
Stephen Pulaski Per. 2
Drinking in college is becoming a huge issue. Most people just pick a school they wish to go too based on partying instead of actually choosing a career. I think that this article has some truth to it, but I do not feel that drinking hurts people’s grades. You are the one spending your own money on classes so I feel that students know what the right and wrong decisions are. The article also says that, "problems related to binge drinking include students getting into arguments, getting injured, forgetting where they were or what they did, missing classes, and engaging in unplanned or unprotected sex." I think that this is true but you have to learn how to be smart and realize if you are making the wrong choices or not. If you are able to go off to school, and do your own laundry, then you are old enough to know what the difference between right and wrong and there is no excuse if you do something bad. This article is almost sticking up for the children who are making the wrong choices. It says that what they have done is because of drinking and being drunk. That might be true, but it was their choice to drink and it was their choice to do what they do after. There is no excuse for being to drunk to remember. Everyone is in charge of their own actions.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/binge_calif-article/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/piracy
This article is about the most recent Somalian pirate attack on US ships in the African horn. By Chance this is the second time the Maersk Alabama was attacked by pirates. The first time the captain was held at gunpoint until Navy SEALS sniped his captors and killed three pirates in the process.
This time, however, they were able to repel the attack with gunfire of their own and a "high-decibel noise device". What that is I am not exactly sure. But I'm guessing it produces a high noise that makes the body irritable or disfunctional; something like that.
Chris Grenzig pd 2
http://www.longislandpress.com/2009/11/17/suffolk-police-beat-2/
This article is about recent crimes committed throughout Long Island. All of these take place over only a period of a week. There were 23 acts of violence during this week from Nov. 5th to Nov. 12th. These were pretty intense felonies that are not too far from where we live. As much as i hate to say that society has been undergoing a drastic change for the worse, this article speaks for itself. The amount of armed robberies are almost rediculous. You dont really hear about this kind of stuff until it is actually in your town. But some of this stuff is only a town over. In Ronkonkoma two people were robbed in the same day seven days ago. One was robbed at gunpoint. As a society, we have to be alert about what is going on around us.
Chris McCormack Period 2
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/16/news/economy/community_colleges_green_jobs.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes
This article is about community colleges expanding their reach to train students for "green jobs." It is said that a majority of kids from our generation will find jobs in the "green" field. Due to the recession community colleges have expierenced a spike in students. Now they are better preparing students for the future. This is huge news for high school students. Now it's cheaper to pursue a career, that is supposivley going to be the career of the future.
Bryan Martin Per.2
http://wcbstv.com/local/yale.student.dead.2.1287203.html
When first reading this story, my heart immiediatly goes out to the family. It must be extremely difficult to deal with having someone like your son found dead in a place that was supposed to be safe. It's quite shocking actually that this student was black because it seems a little ironic, the black student at Yale dying, it makes you think if someone had a motive or if racism still exsists within the halls of Yale. From reading the article and seeing the praise he got from his former high school teachers, he was a smart kid that seemed to know what he was doing in life. How he died though is the biggest mystery. Whether it was done himself or by someone else is the big question here that i assume his parents arent the only ones concerned with. This also makes you wonder what your college experience might be like next year, if someone gets killed on your campus maybe...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/technology/18reader.html?_r=1&ref=technology
Now a days, technology is flourishing to say the least. Ever other day you see a commercial about the "latest this," or hear a radio ad about the "newest that." There is always something new, and up and coming. Specifically phones and hand held gadgets that make our day to day lives more than simple. GPS on our phones; smaller mp3 players that can fit into our pockets; phones that act as day planners, the internet, a camera, and video camera; and now software that enables us to read...digitally. 'What will they think of next?' has become a frequently asked question. Now, they have come up with Kindle. A hand held electronic that holds hundreds of stories in one device. A similar product is reading software developed for anyone who has the iphone. But with the similar technologies, just as in any other situation, there is competition. Companies are rushing to come up with the "better" features to win over the demographic, however, there are some who prefer loaded book shelves as opposed to a a small, electronic, screen,
I think that the growth and progress we have made in technology is beyond astounding. Things I never knew could exist have been invented, and the process only continues to grow and leave me speechless. Yet although our growth in technological advancement is very great, we have to wonder what it is doing to our society and what it is teaching younger generations. Thinking back to a time where there were no televisions, computers, ipods, blackberrys...society was taught to work hard for what they wanted. As time has progressed in parallel structure to our progressing technology, generations have been proven to become more lazy. Relying on machines to do the work for them is the only thing we have come to know. Does our society rely too much on technology? I firmly believe that this is the case. Factories have replaced their workers with machines, teachers ask students to use machines to do their homework instead ofhand writing assignments, the list goes on. We have ultimately lost the grand vision of hard work and self application. Now we're even relying on small screens instead of libraries or book stores to find us something to read.
It's important to discuss these types of issues in the news. Some are eager to celebrate the large steps we are making, however, many are disappointed in the loss of value for work. I find this new product to be very clever, and yes very helpful in many ways. Those who commute to work everyday by trains or buses may find this to be very helpful. Children on road trips can bring this along and elminiate the extra burden of packing literature in an already stuffed suitcase. However, in the end, our society is learning to become lazy - we are learning to grow up without ambition.
'What will they think of next?!' And what will become of our society as a resultant?
Nicole S.
Pd. 2
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27788655/
Like Mrs. Sundberg said every decade there is a new obsession, a new drug. Yet, I would like to point out that every couple years our society becomes obsessed with a new fad. Since Stephanie Meyers release the first of her saga novels, Twilight, six months after beginning the writing process in June of 2003, the world has become obsessed with Vampires.
Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the books and read all of them even before it became an "epidemic", but I question what society has come to when everything is about Vampires! Meyer realeased all four novels and they became a teenage and young woman obession. Personally, I know a wide age of women and men who have read the books. The novels fall into an epic battle and romance genere. The Saga is currently being made into four films, the second coming out on the Friday of this week. They feature Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart play Edward and Bella. These films will not only sky- rocket their careers but also ticket sales.
Since the release of the books has come several other novels written about Vampires, a television series on CW11 called the "Vampire Diaries", and two movies including the "Vampires Assistant." WHY?
How is it possible that our entire society can concave into an obsession with something? I believe it is due to marketing and because "everyone is doing it, like peer pressure, like a drug.
Before this was Harry Potter, who to this day is a major bread-winner, a classic, a must read. Once again, i too am obsessed with Harry Potter, along with the rest of society. Along with Harry Potter was the obsession with Queen Elizabeth. Two films came out in the same year- Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love, and both actresses who played the Queen were nominated for awards.
Even if you claim that you are not a fan of Harry Potter, or even Twilight, you have to admit that you find some interest in it especially because several of your friends have read the books cover to cover and will be at the midnight showing of the movie. There is nothing wrong with getting into this trend, but our society should acknowledge the fact that we can't help but get obsessed with trends.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rosas-law-asks-senate-kill-slur-mentally-retarded/story?id=9109319
This article is about an 8 year olds battle to end use of the term "mentally retarted". Rosa has down syndrome and is currently at the center of a bill in Congress to remove the term from the federal vocabulary. The law would cost taxpayers nothing and be called Rosa's Law. The law would affect how the country refers to the more than 6 million people who are diagnosed with an intectual disability. I think this law should be passed because it is hurtful to refer to people as mentally retarded. Retarded is slang for stupid and people who are disabled are not stupid. If passed, the law may change how society as a whole treats the disabled and will hopefully bring them more respect. Not only is this article newsworthy because people should be more aware of the language they use, but also because Rosa's story is inspirational.
Abby dante, period 2
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/18/government.improper.payments/index.html
Federal government made more than $98 billion of improper payments made in 2009. Improper payments for Medicare program accounted for a third of the total amount of improper payments made. President Obama is going to issue an executive order calling for transparency, accountability. I think this is an absolute outrage. These big corporations and sly accountants think they can get away with these improper payments that are just fattening up their wallets. People with this much ignorance and that are this selfish and self-centered are completely wrong. What makes this article so newsworthy is how it shows the underground transactions being made by the government advisors and big corporations. It shows the fraud that is involved in government and big corporations and most importantly it exposes them for the phonies they are. This has a huge impact on the society of the United States, because now people may lose faith in their government and where their hard earn money is going. People are going to be more resistant to government taxation if they do not know the security of their hard earned money which is going straight to taxes.
Kevin Schlakman
Period 2
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/opinion/31fri3.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1258550445-oIkGhzXHLZMx507PUopf0w
This artical is about the rising heroin problem on Long Island. It explains how heroin problems are continuing to rise and how easily kids are able to obtain it. It speaks about the governments attempts to control this problem but in my opinion they arent working. I think this artical is newsworthy because it is a very serious problem but even though it got so much publicity I dont think it is getting eoungh dicipline. Everyone knows about suffolk countys heroin problem but I see people walking around town high all of the time. People dont comprehend the severity of this problem or the government needs to take a lot more action but either way this issue is only growing larger and something needs to be done before this starts to affect the nation.
-Ally Simeone, Period 2
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-15-college-drug-use_N.htm
Across the nation college binge drinking and substance abuse is becoming a major issue in todays society. Alcohol is still what people consider to be the "favored" substance and marijuanca use has increased dramatically since the 90's. I feel as though colleges are not doing enough, or taking enough action to prevent the problem that is occuring.
fatal stabbing in roslyn: the article was a man that was pumping gass at night and out of the dark a man came up and stabed him it shows how you arnt safe anywhere and that the worls is really messed up when you cant even fill your car with gass without having to watch ot for people trying to kill you. they say they have the person on camra and that police should catch him soon this article effects my life because its so close to home and it mekes me feel unsafe.
bobby per.2
http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/5-arrested-in-bronx-shooting-that-hit-bystander-1.1599553
This article was about a 15 year old girl who got shot in the head by a 16 year old boy. The boys as well as 4 others were in a shooting when a bullet accidentailly hit this young girl in the head leaving her in critical condition. This article shows how violent our society is. People seemed to be getting arrested at younger and younger ages for assault with deadly weapons or murder charges. It's not only NY that is affected by this. The whole nation is faced with iolence even in their so called safe places like school and home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/business/06cure.html
This article is about the F.D.A. finding a lot of online companies and businesses that have been falsely advertising their products by saying they help prevent and protect against the swine flu. this is an extreme hazard and is a Federal Crime because the N1H1 shot is already facing a shortage.
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/north-hills-cardiologist-denies-he-installed-secret-camera-in-bathroom-1.1601659
This article is about some freak cardiologist named Vincent Pacienza, age 54. He is suspected of installing cameras in the ladies bathroom in an office building to spy on the female employees. He pleaded not guilty but he probebly is! Now he is in court.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/17/missouri.child.sexual.abuse/index.html
This article is about Three alleged victims of years-ago child sex abuse within a Missouri family. The case reopened and the abusers are now adults. They all are accused of rap, murder and kidnapping. I think this is disgusting how they couldnt find these people until now. Why wouldn't they able to find out this earlier.(which doesn't say in article) The man that mohler told a child he was having aheart attack and needed his help. He took the children and drove them to a farm a man whio is 77 years old and told the kids to stab the man with the knife given to them. They always were force to dig a hole for the man. I just want to know how lets poor children felt and how they are now today. That is possibly the worst thing that could have happened and had to go through. I also am very upset about how they caught these gross men so many years later.
Jackie saggese
period 8
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/17/teacher.hit.man/index.html
This article is about a high school teacher accused of trying to order a "hit" on a 16-year-old student because he thought the student was gay. He took another student off of his bus and told him he would pay him to kill another student. Prior to this, the principal of the school was informed that the teacher had been asking to boy inappropriate questions about wheather or not he was gay, and nothing had been done about it. I think that teachers records should be checked more thoughrally and they should have to take some sort of test on their veiws before being permitted to teach a diverse group of students. There are already enough instances in the news where students kill other students and the last thing we need are teachers encouraging it based on sexual orientation.
Julianne Russo
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34016501/
This article is about 15 year old girl who is being tried as an adult in a child’s killing. The 15 year old girl was charged with the murder of her 9 year old neighbor. The 9 year old was missing for about 2 days until the 15 year old led the police to the girl’s body. Even though I think it’s so sad that this girl is being treated as an adult and that her life is never going to get easier for her, I still think it’s fair that this girl is being charged as an adult because she is old enough to realize the consequences of her actions. The court said that there isn’t a juvenile court system that would be able to treat the 15 year old, therefore charging her as an adult also makes since. By the age 15 a person should know what’s right and what’s wrong without a problem, therefore there is no reason why this teenage girl shouldn’t be treated as an adult. At the age of 15 teenagers are always telling their parents that they aren’t children anymore and that they are old enough to make their own decisions and old enough to do what they want, so why shouldn’t think girl be treated as an adult. In Missouri, children as young as 12 years old can be treated as adults, however I think this is a little young. A 12 year old is still growing up and still has to learn all about life. Also a 12 year old can’t even get a job, so why should they be treated as an adult, because of this I think they should raise the age to 14 in order to be treated as an adult.
Jackie Loveland
Period 8
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/18/smallbusiness/zeo_sleep.fsb/index.htm
This gadget helps you sleep better. Imagine if our whole society got a good nights rest, never again would you have to hear someones cranky voice behind you or complaining they couldnt get anything done that day because of how much sleep they didn't get the night before. Researchers have proved that the more sleep you do get, the longer you live because your body stays healthier and more well rested. Longer life, less tired? Sweet deal!
kristenseverinoperiod8
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=putting-madness-in-its-place
This is an article about what causes actions in an individual. Certain genetics and medical condictions in early life determine the structure of an individuals mind and ultmently thier personality abd actions. Going further then that it will also determines a person's sanity and ablitiy to function.
Just an aside: this is what causes people to commit violent action, not violent media.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-corrupt-box18-2009nov18,0,4897009.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld+%28L.A.+Times+-+World+News%29
This article discusses some of the most and least corupt governments in the world. It shows that Iran, Sudan, and Iraq are some of the top corrupt governments. I believe this is due to the fact that they are very disfunctional to beging with and they have wars among themsleves which tears them apart. However the least corrupt governments in the world included New Zealand, Denmark, Australia, and the Netherlands.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/nyregion/18albany.html?_r=1&em
This article is about a bill that has recently been passed by the State Assembly in New York. This bill makes it a felony to drive while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle and also requires first-time convicted drunk drivers to purchase a device that prevents them from driving in their cars if they have been drinking. Drivers convicted of being drunk while having children under the age of 15 in the car could face a prison sentence of four years. The bill makes the penalties for drunk driving much more severe than they were previously, but I believe that these harsher penalties are completely necessary. It is a really terrible decision to drink and drive, and New York along with the other 49 states should adopt these new policies. If somebody is convicted of drunk driving once, chances are they're going to be repeat offenders. With a device that makes it impossible for convicted drunk drivers to ever drive intoxicated again, everybody can feel just a little bit safer on the road. The choice to make driving while intoxicated with a child in the car a felony is also a good decision, as recently there have been two major incidents in which children were killed because they travelling with adults who had made a horrifying decision to drive after drinking. The machine can detect even a .02 blood alcohol level. This new decision is newsworthy because it is an integral step towards combatting drunk driving and the destruction that it causes.
Shayna Williams, Period 8
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/17/smart.plea/index.html
This article was based on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping that took place in 2002. Fortunately she was found walking down a street in Utah nine months later. This story was a hot topic in the news when it first happened. Now Elizabeth is back safe at home with her family and her kidnappers are locked away and recieving their sentencing. Eileen Barzee was an accomplice in the Smart kidnapping is looking to spend a minimum of 15 years in jail. In court on November 17, 2009 Barzee pleaded guilty and also appologized to Smart and her familt what she had done and they pain she had caused. I feel that Barzee was sincere and should deffinately spend a minimum of 15 years in prison, because she kidnapped an innocent child right from her bed. Because Elizabeth was found alive the sentence shouldn't be life in prison, but I think she should be given a significant amount of time. Allowing Barzee to go with less time dosn't guarantee that she will do it again. She must be given a proper sentence and serve her time and hopefully when she is released she chooses a different path in life.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/world/asia/18prexy.html?ref=todayspaper
This article is about Obama's recent visit to China during his tour of East Asia. The article focuses on Obama's failures to get anything done on his visit to China and takes a mostly surprised tone at China's firm stance against our interests. Americans do not understand that we're not the only superpower in the world anymore, we are falling rapidly as China and India rise. For some reason Americans believe that any other country will roll over for us on command, but that's simply not the case. This country's image of itself is antiquated and ethnocentric, and our standing in the world would be much better off if we took a look at ourselves and how things really are.
Steph Chocko Pd 8
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17tumor.html?em
This article is about a new way to help cure glioblastoma which is a type of brain cancer. This cancer is very fatal and the life expectancy is only 15 months. A doctor at New York- Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell is involved in a study that involves patients with this form of cancer who have hopes of undergoing a treatment that will help defy the odds and allow them a longer time to live. This technique involves using small catheters to thread into the brain which would then allow the doctor to deliver doses of a chemotherapy drug. Since this is in the early phases of being tested doctors are unaware of how safe it is and if it will actually help cure or reduce the size of the tumor. This article is newsworthy because it's giving people another chance to live and experience the events that some of us take for granted. Some of these patients will be able to extend their life by a few years which then means that they can attend a wedding or even a birthday party. If this proves succesful there will be immense benefits for society. Doctors will then be able to use this technique to help cure other neurological disorders as well as try and fight brain metastases which is when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body. This will also change the way that patients receive chemotherapy in the future. Lastly, this will increase the life expectancy for individuals who have a certain type of cancer.
Gabriella Sehne, Period 8
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091115/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_guantanamo_us_trial_clinton
This article is about Hilary Clinton thinking having trials regarding 9/11 terrorists in New York City, just a couple blocks away from Ground Zero, is a good idea and is doing everything in her power to see it through. I think this idea, is rediculous. This is the worst idea, or at least one of them, the government has every come up with. Why would New Yorkers want a man who caused chaos, danger, deaths and misery among them around their homes? To me, it puts us in more danger and the government isn't being too considerate of it's people.
You here your friends say it all the time "thats retarted" or "he's being retarted," little do they know that they actually can be insulting to an individual around them. Rosa is an 8 year old girl who suffers from down sydrome. Currently there is a law that is trying to be passed named "Rosas Law" so the term "mentally retarted" would not be used to describe the disabled. Instead they would use the medical description "individual with an intellectual disability." I think that this is newsworthy because it is disrespectful to use the word "retarted" so freely. You are insulting those around you. Not only is it newsworth it is very inspiring that this young girl wants to make such a big change for the world and people who have a disability like she does.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rosas-law-asks-senate-kill-slur-mentally-retarded/story?id=9109319
Giuliana Modugno Period 8
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34042394/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/
This article is about growing meat without animals. This is good, because we wont be using as many animals, and it also eliminates many contamination problems. More food would be avaliable for people, and its creating an advancement in technology for feeding people.
Diana Pacinello Pd. 8
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/20/news/economy/state_unemployment/index.htm
This article discusses how there has been an increase in state jobless and unemployment rates. It focused a lot on Michigan and how there unployment rate is now at 15.1% but this is better compared to september when the rate was 15.3%. The main focus is that even though we are facing a hardship as a country we are starting to make an improvment in terms of employment. Michigan has just added 38,000 jobs and Texas has added 42,000 jobs. I think that we are starting to turn around in this tough economic times.
Ryan Montvydas
http://www.newsday.com/classifieds/real-estate/home-sales-rise-in-sign-of-stability-1.1621947
This article was about the current real estate market and the price of new homes in our local area. Real estate sales recently rose 6.2 percent. The average interest rate has also gone down. This article is targeted to new yorkers in talking about the local real estate market and how realistic it is to live on long island. However, this article relates to the national economic issue. Since the real estate market was one of the facters causeing the recession, the fact that the real estate market is getting better is showing stability for the economy. This shows a promising future that the economy will fully recover.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AvT5zh_xPoZXjcRys2jmbe05nYcB?slug=ap-wizards-guns&prov=ap&type=lgns
This article talks about Gilbert Arenas, one of professional basketball's biggest stars, and how he brought firearms into his team's locker room. Arenas said he brought the guns to the arena because he didn't want them being around his new born child. But there was a situation in the locker room over a gambling debt where Arenas and one of his teammates drew guns on eachother.
Some might not think this is a big deal, but I think this is a huge deal. Children and teenagers all over the world look up to this basketball player. He endorses many products, he has his own blog where he talks about anything and everything, he owns a twitter that many people follow, and people watch his games and spend money on his jerseys. The world isn't looking good for us if role models are bringing guns to work and pointing them at his colleagues. It is scary to even think about, how people can get killed easily.
Post a Comment