Here is my entry for the week of Feb. 5-12: Now post yours!!
Reading the New York Times in Bemidji
Elections gone real wrong (no, not here!), swine disease mysteries, and other news of the weird
I tried to avoid all too tempting barrage of stories about the presidential race. I have a weakness for that kind of addictive story just as many men are addicted to sports stories. I forced myself to read a few of the “tougher” stories first. The most tragic right now is what’s going on in Kenya.
“Death Toll in Kenya Exceeds 1,000, but Talks Reach Crucial Phase,” 2.6.08, A8
What’s quite striking to me about this situation is that the term “gangs” is used a number of times in describing the troublemakers. They’re not “dissidents” or “insurgents” or anything else. It really is “Men with Guns” (which is the name of a wonderful movie about Central America) who take charge in areas of the world where the rule of law is tenuous. One could easily imagine how the same thing could have happened here in the past two presidential elections when half or more of the electorate felt betrayed. The only thing stopping us, other than our general, calming affluence, is our strong history of all the things that support democracy: the rule of law, general literacy (although one could begin to question that in recent years), a strong middle class (again, that’s coming under stress) and relative transparency in government (once again, we’re facing a few problems in this regard lately). What’s frightening is that the Times stated that until this slaughter, Kenya was considered “one of the most stable and promising countries on the African continent.” Yikes!
“Fighting in Chad Stirs Fears of Wider Conflict,” 2.7.08, A1
More problems in Africa. This one is disturbing because it just widens the horrible circle of pain in Darfur. Chad and Sudan, which share a border, blame each other for “fomenting” rebellions. What a horrible image and quote described in the lead: a provincial governor quoted as saying “We are just cleaning the garbage off the street” while smiling. This is in reference to dead bodies of rebels being loaded into dump trucks. What a chilling reality. What I found even more chilling was a report about French and American expatriates who were just evacuated. One woman said she knew it had gotten serious when it was no longer just men with mounted guns on pick-up trucks and machine guns but men with cannons! Oddly disturbing was the kicker – a guy who said, “My life in Chad was great until last Tuesday.” Didn’t he have any clue that things were going real bad? Was he aware of what was happening in Sudan next to Chad? Maybe things look different when you’re up close, but it’s pretty astounding.
“Toll of Deadly Tornadoes in South Climbs Past 50,” 2.7.08, A1
Ho sad – 54 people killed! We in Minnesota all know about tornadoes and how scary they can be. The closest I ever got was to view one touching down in Fridley while watching from a rooftop in a nearby suburb. The photo of the middle-aged man viewing the rubble of his dead daughter’s home was surreal.
Photos I loved:
I always look forward to just browsing through the photos in the Times. This week is no exception. Ones I found especially dramatic, artistically composed or revealing are the following:
2.6.08, P1: Residents in East LA voting in an elementary school with childish homemade Valentine’s Day decorations on the wall.
2.5.08, B1: Sheryl Crow looking especially rumpled, artsy and lovely.
2.5.08, A1: All four leading presidential candidates during the last hours of Super Tuesday. None were traditional front shots – all from odd points of view. Very revealing of their campaign styles and about campaigning in general.
“Public Broadcasters Prepare to Fight Federal Budget Cuts,” 2.6.08, B1
This is outrageous. The federal government has, over the years, cut their percentage of support to “public” broadcasting to 15% of their actual costs. And now they’re complaining about that! It’s amazing that with such stingy funding, which forces “public” broadcasting to seek more and more “underwriting,” that they still do aggressive, relevant programming that is not duplicated anywhere in the wasteland that is network AND cable TV. As my 18-year-old son says, “TV is really stupid.” Well, maybe not as stupid as the president and Congress.
“When Anxiety Is At the Table,” 2.6.08, D1
“For some diners, a disorder haunts every thought.” This was a wonderful article about what eating out is like for obsessive-compulsive people, several of whom I have in my family. What’s especially engaging about it is the reporter (Jeff Bell) admits that he, too, is obsessive-compulsive. It’s hilarious, sad and enlightening. A worthy read.
My class will benefit from this food section. I was so inspired by the article on sun-dried tomatoes that I plan to make them a batch of hummus with sun-dried tomatoes recipe on page D3. Yum!
“A Corporate View of Mafia Tactics: Protesting, Lobbying and Citing Upton Sinclair,” 2.5.08, A14
News of the weird for certain! Smithfield Foods (pig processors) are suing the union representing thousands of workers under the RICO statute, which is aimed at organized crime. Their claim is that the union’s lobbying efforts with the government for worker protection is racketeering. One of the lawyers said “it was perfectly appropriate to cite activities protected by the First Amendment as evidence of racketeering.” Unbelievable.
“Slaughterhouse 12: When a dozen workers at a Minnesota meat plant are stricken with a mysterious neurological illness, health officials scramble to figure out why,” 2.5.08, D1
I remember well the Hormel strike in the 80s, when Barbara Koppel won an Academy Award for her documentary about it: American Dream. Those who survived a strike that literally pitted brother against brother ended up earning about half of what they were before the strike. And yet they remained loyal to this corporation without a conscience. Now 12 people have developed these horrible symptoms from inhaling or otherwise ingesting particles of pig brains. The description of how its done in the plant is gut-wrenching. Read it to believe it. Sick.
“Famous Black Lives Through DNA’s Prism,” 2.5.08, B1
I really look forward to seeing this on PBS. I’ve already missed the first broadcast, but I’m sure there will be reruns or I can watch it on-line. I watched the earlier series on the same topic, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. It was very moving to see people’s expressions when they learned exactly where their ancestors came from. Some had no idea they had European (or Asian) ancestors; or that theirs were very accomplished people, etc. Oprah was one of the first clients. This time it includes Prof. Gates himself. So much more can be learned through DNA now – it’s a strange new world we’ve entered.
“Paper Cuts: Shrinking advertising and falling profits imperil an industry,” 2.7.08, C1
This one is no surprise, but it continues to sadden me. The Times itself saw its profits reduced by 4% last year. Newspapers just couldn’t adapt to nor co-opt newer technologies. Our Times education rep said he thought it was mid-sized papers such as the Star Tribune that were having the most trouble now. They are not the “hometown” paper they’d like to be seen as, and they’re not national, such as the Times is. That makes sense. All I know is that when I want to advertise something or buy something, I go to CraigsList like everyone else. Ultimately, that’s what put the nail in the coffin. But I do love real paper newspapers. They create a different kind of reading experience for me. I love the layout, the design, the circus of headlines all competing for my attention. On a computer I am forced to drill down before I get to see the landscape. Not nearly as much fun or as relaxing or satisfying. My fantasy vacation would be to ride a train cross-country with a sleeper car and dining car, while reading the Times every day and a book. No cell phone, no TV, no computer. Aaaah.
Elections gone real wrong (no, not here!), swine disease mysteries, and other news of the weird
I tried to avoid all too tempting barrage of stories about the presidential race. I have a weakness for that kind of addictive story just as many men are addicted to sports stories. I forced myself to read a few of the “tougher” stories first. The most tragic right now is what’s going on in Kenya.
“Death Toll in Kenya Exceeds 1,000, but Talks Reach Crucial Phase,” 2.6.08, A8
What’s quite striking to me about this situation is that the term “gangs” is used a number of times in describing the troublemakers. They’re not “dissidents” or “insurgents” or anything else. It really is “Men with Guns” (which is the name of a wonderful movie about Central America) who take charge in areas of the world where the rule of law is tenuous. One could easily imagine how the same thing could have happened here in the past two presidential elections when half or more of the electorate felt betrayed. The only thing stopping us, other than our general, calming affluence, is our strong history of all the things that support democracy: the rule of law, general literacy (although one could begin to question that in recent years), a strong middle class (again, that’s coming under stress) and relative transparency in government (once again, we’re facing a few problems in this regard lately). What’s frightening is that the Times stated that until this slaughter, Kenya was considered “one of the most stable and promising countries on the African continent.” Yikes!
“Fighting in Chad Stirs Fears of Wider Conflict,” 2.7.08, A1
More problems in Africa. This one is disturbing because it just widens the horrible circle of pain in Darfur. Chad and Sudan, which share a border, blame each other for “fomenting” rebellions. What a horrible image and quote described in the lead: a provincial governor quoted as saying “We are just cleaning the garbage off the street” while smiling. This is in reference to dead bodies of rebels being loaded into dump trucks. What a chilling reality. What I found even more chilling was a report about French and American expatriates who were just evacuated. One woman said she knew it had gotten serious when it was no longer just men with mounted guns on pick-up trucks and machine guns but men with cannons! Oddly disturbing was the kicker – a guy who said, “My life in Chad was great until last Tuesday.” Didn’t he have any clue that things were going real bad? Was he aware of what was happening in Sudan next to Chad? Maybe things look different when you’re up close, but it’s pretty astounding.
“Toll of Deadly Tornadoes in South Climbs Past 50,” 2.7.08, A1
Ho sad – 54 people killed! We in Minnesota all know about tornadoes and how scary they can be. The closest I ever got was to view one touching down in Fridley while watching from a rooftop in a nearby suburb. The photo of the middle-aged man viewing the rubble of his dead daughter’s home was surreal.
Photos I loved:
I always look forward to just browsing through the photos in the Times. This week is no exception. Ones I found especially dramatic, artistically composed or revealing are the following:
2.6.08, P1: Residents in East LA voting in an elementary school with childish homemade Valentine’s Day decorations on the wall.
2.5.08, B1: Sheryl Crow looking especially rumpled, artsy and lovely.
2.5.08, A1: All four leading presidential candidates during the last hours of Super Tuesday. None were traditional front shots – all from odd points of view. Very revealing of their campaign styles and about campaigning in general.
“Public Broadcasters Prepare to Fight Federal Budget Cuts,” 2.6.08, B1
This is outrageous. The federal government has, over the years, cut their percentage of support to “public” broadcasting to 15% of their actual costs. And now they’re complaining about that! It’s amazing that with such stingy funding, which forces “public” broadcasting to seek more and more “underwriting,” that they still do aggressive, relevant programming that is not duplicated anywhere in the wasteland that is network AND cable TV. As my 18-year-old son says, “TV is really stupid.” Well, maybe not as stupid as the president and Congress.
“When Anxiety Is At the Table,” 2.6.08, D1
“For some diners, a disorder haunts every thought.” This was a wonderful article about what eating out is like for obsessive-compulsive people, several of whom I have in my family. What’s especially engaging about it is the reporter (Jeff Bell) admits that he, too, is obsessive-compulsive. It’s hilarious, sad and enlightening. A worthy read.
My class will benefit from this food section. I was so inspired by the article on sun-dried tomatoes that I plan to make them a batch of hummus with sun-dried tomatoes recipe on page D3. Yum!
“A Corporate View of Mafia Tactics: Protesting, Lobbying and Citing Upton Sinclair,” 2.5.08, A14
News of the weird for certain! Smithfield Foods (pig processors) are suing the union representing thousands of workers under the RICO statute, which is aimed at organized crime. Their claim is that the union’s lobbying efforts with the government for worker protection is racketeering. One of the lawyers said “it was perfectly appropriate to cite activities protected by the First Amendment as evidence of racketeering.” Unbelievable.
“Slaughterhouse 12: When a dozen workers at a Minnesota meat plant are stricken with a mysterious neurological illness, health officials scramble to figure out why,” 2.5.08, D1
I remember well the Hormel strike in the 80s, when Barbara Koppel won an Academy Award for her documentary about it: American Dream. Those who survived a strike that literally pitted brother against brother ended up earning about half of what they were before the strike. And yet they remained loyal to this corporation without a conscience. Now 12 people have developed these horrible symptoms from inhaling or otherwise ingesting particles of pig brains. The description of how its done in the plant is gut-wrenching. Read it to believe it. Sick.
“Famous Black Lives Through DNA’s Prism,” 2.5.08, B1
I really look forward to seeing this on PBS. I’ve already missed the first broadcast, but I’m sure there will be reruns or I can watch it on-line. I watched the earlier series on the same topic, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. It was very moving to see people’s expressions when they learned exactly where their ancestors came from. Some had no idea they had European (or Asian) ancestors; or that theirs were very accomplished people, etc. Oprah was one of the first clients. This time it includes Prof. Gates himself. So much more can be learned through DNA now – it’s a strange new world we’ve entered.
“Paper Cuts: Shrinking advertising and falling profits imperil an industry,” 2.7.08, C1
This one is no surprise, but it continues to sadden me. The Times itself saw its profits reduced by 4% last year. Newspapers just couldn’t adapt to nor co-opt newer technologies. Our Times education rep said he thought it was mid-sized papers such as the Star Tribune that were having the most trouble now. They are not the “hometown” paper they’d like to be seen as, and they’re not national, such as the Times is. That makes sense. All I know is that when I want to advertise something or buy something, I go to CraigsList like everyone else. Ultimately, that’s what put the nail in the coffin. But I do love real paper newspapers. They create a different kind of reading experience for me. I love the layout, the design, the circus of headlines all competing for my attention. On a computer I am forced to drill down before I get to see the landscape. Not nearly as much fun or as relaxing or satisfying. My fantasy vacation would be to ride a train cross-country with a sleeper car and dining car, while reading the Times every day and a book. No cell phone, no TV, no computer. Aaaah.
8 Comments:
Hello it is Heather Smith with what was in the New York Times this past week. ~
o Satellite Spotters Glimpse Secrets, and Tell Them.-A1 2-5-08
Two men, one from Canada and the other from Britain are satellite watchers. Every time a new satellite is put into orbit they can track it with a stop watch, star map and binoculars. The new story is that a satellite is to fall out of orbit and they are tracking it. Not to worry because it will hit the ocean. Also there is a huge gathering of people who do this. They communicate through e-mail and the internet. They often guess what each satellite is doing and what its purpose is.
o Japan: Princess Becomes Fair Game-A6 2-5-08
A huge elaborate dinner in the honor of Princess Masako the wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, was had and being criticized in the tabloids because of violating the standards of imperial austerity as the economy shows signs of faltering. She is also 44 and was diagnosed for depression four years ago.
o Venereal Study Seeks to Treat Aborigines, but Skip Tests-A6-2-5-08
Sydney, Australia sexual transmitted diseases have spread so widely Aboriginal communities have now become massively infected. Instead of screening for the diseases they are now going to treat entire communities where four or more have tested positive.
o A Life Saved, But Others Lost, In an Apartment Fire in Germany-A13-2-5-08
A picture of tenants hanging out of window with thick dark smoke coming out the tops of them. One man threw a baby to fire fighters (captured in picture) and survived where as nine people died, five of them were children. This picture is so disturbing.
o A24 -2-5-08 Put a Fembot in the White House-Join the Party.
An ad by SVEDKA vodka makes a full page ad of this product. I think it is funny but does Hillary Clinton?
o Intelligence Chief Says Al Qaeda Improves Ability to Strike in U.S. A1 2-6-08
Al Qaeda is gaining strength and is training new recruits to prepare for a new attack on the United States. Al Qaeda is also apparently using U.S. Citizens to carry out some of these orders.
o China Frees A Journalist It Accused of Spying. A 10 2-6-08
Ching Cheong, 58 was released after two years serving a five year sentence for charges of spying for Taiwan.
o Halston Reappears As the Scene Changes. A 17 2-6-08
Fashion hits the run way as the new fashions take the walk. It is a mix of generation to be honest. From roman times to the sixty’s and seventy’s.
o A Warhol Surfaces, Headed For Court. A 19 2-6-08
A Warhol painting was brought to an auction to everyone’s amazement it was the Warhol painting of a dollar sign that was stolen in 1998. The man that brought it to the auction claimed that he had bought it at a flea market.
o Toll of Deadly Tornadoes in South Climbs Past 50. A1 2-7-08
Death toll of fifty people reported in tornadoes that went through Tennessee and Arkansas. Gov. of Tennessee surveyed the damage in a helicopter. Help was called in through the Red Cross and other places.
o The Vanishing Point. E1 2-7-08
Designers are using smaller and smaller models to wear their clothes because they claim the clothes look better. The issue was attacked a year ago when Spain said that their models must be at least a healthy looking size six. No one paid any attention to the males. Designers claim they have to keep up with what Europe is doing and well they are using skinny male models that have no muscle structure at all.
o School Drama as a Teacher is Stabbed. A12 2-8-08
A school teacher was stabbed in front of her class of fifth graders by her husband. She had recently filed for divorce and her lawyer said she was afraid of some thing like this. She lived, however she was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
o They Don’t Throw Paper Like They Used To. A20 2-8-08
A parade thrown for the New York Giants football team after their super bowl victory. Compared to other ticker-tape parades it does not hold a roll, (if you know what I mean).
This week in the New York Times:
Tuesday, 2/5/08
“Satellite Spotters Glimpse Secrets, and Tell Them” A1
This story is about obsessed hobbyists who track satellites in the sky. They look for markings, style and features to identify satellites. Sometimes they identify government spy satellites. The government doesn’t like that they spot and tell on the Internet about the satellites they didn’t want anyone to know anything about. Mostly because if our people can do it successfully, so can the Chinese or any other country.
“Protecting a Wildcat So Rare That Some Deny It’s Real” A4
There is a really rare wildcat on Iriomote Island off the coast of Japan. The wildcat has brought a lot of tourism to the island and has further threatened its existence. Even a lot of the locals have never seen the wildcat and suggest that it’s not even real or that maybe it’s just a stray house cat living in the mountains. However, an average of three Iriomote wildcats is killed on the road each year. The island has more signs for drivers cautioning about the wildcats’ crossing than for children crossing the road. In some areas, a rumble strip has been installed to alert drivers and wildcats. The wildcat was discovered in 1967 and I believe the population is fewer than 100.
“Longer Drug Regimen Found To Help Babies Avoid H.I.V.” A18
Researchers have found that giving AIDS affected women the antiretroviral drug nevirapine reduces the risk of transmitting the H.I.V. virus; however, the babies have still contracted the H.I.V. virus from their mothers due to ingesting contaminated breast milk. New studies have found that an extended treatment of the antiretroviral drug also reduces the transmission of the virus during the nursing period. Breast feeding currently accounts for 48% of H.I.V infections among infants.
“Judge Reinstates Rules on Sonar, Criticizing Bush’s Waiver for Navy” A20
President Bush thinks it is okay to exempt his navy from rules to protect whales from high-powered sonar during military exercises in the Pacific. Judge Florence-Marie Cooper and I both think that Bush overstepped his authority. Judge Cooper reinstated the protection rule and questioned the constitutionality of the president’s waiver.
Wednesday, 2/6/08
“Pope’s Rewrite of Latin Prayer Draws Criticism From 2 Sides” A8
Pope Benedict XVI replaced an offensive traditional prayer with a less offensive one. Many did not like that he did this because they still find the new prayer offensive.
“Public Broadcasters Prepare to Fight Federal Budget Cuts” B1
President Bush has tried to cut the public broadcasting budget dramatically seven times with Congress standing up for the low income families who can’t afford cable or satellite or the Internet so far. But Bush has yet again proposed another budget cut by over half the funds they receive right now. Hopefully, Congress will come to the rescue again.
Thursday, 2/7/08
“Scientists Say Mummies’ Lice Show Pre-Columbian Origins” A10
Scientists have found a common world-wide louse on a Peruvian mummy that pre-dated the coming of Columbus. Columbus did not bring lice here, even though he did bring much more deadly diseases with him like smallpox and the measles.
“CIA Destroyed Tapes as Judge Sought Data From Them” A12
It looks like the CIA is covering up something when they destroyed interrogation tapes of Qaeda operatives at the same time a federal judge was actively seeking information from those tapes. The statement released by General Hayden seems to be contradictory to new documents that have been found.
“California Voters Reject Proposal for Peace on the Rock” A14
A 60 year old man named DaVid wants to turn Alcatraz Island into a peace center after tearing down the old prison that many high profile criminals like Al Capone. California voted no, the man still hopes that maybe Congress will overturn the decision some day.
Friday, 2/8/08
“Congress Votes For a Stimulus of $168 Billion” A1
The economy must really be hurting if Congress passed this bill as quickly as they did. They passed the economy rebates and President Bush already said he would sign it. Along with the dow jones index being so low recently abroad, the government is really trying hard to correct the recession I think we’re already in.
“W.H.O and Bloomberg Open Global Antismoking Project” A6
A report financed by Michael R. Bloomberg’s foundation suggests a 6 step program for fighting Big Tobaccos influence. Among those steps are raising taxes on cigarettes, a public smoking ban, enforcing laws for contributing to minors or ads aimed towards youths, and offering free or reduced-cost help to quit smoking.
Monday, 2/11/08
“Between Kentucky and Ohio, Hard Feelings Over a Rock’s Place” A1
Kentucky and Ohio are fighting over a rock, yes, a rock. An eight-ton rock at the bottom of the Ohio River is now sitting in a garage on some old tires in Ohio. A border dispute is being hashed out to determine the rightful owner of the rock.
“On Single-sex Buses, Relief From Unwanted Contact” A4
Mexico City’s women are more comfortable riding on single-sex buses because now they don’t get harassed by men. Many men are outraged by the discrimination while just as many men applaud the idea. The new buses respond to the increased need of security for women and also protect men’s wives, daughters and mothers.
Response to: U.S. Forces Kill 4 and Wound Girl in Iraqi Family in Raid. (Feb 6, 2008)
Another sad case happened. Take a look at the picture. I can understand their feelings; I can see their heart bleeding. The soldiers “thought” that it was a “terrorist cell”. Is this explanation acceptable? Absolutely not. The soldiers “fire their weapons without provocation” and hurt five innocent citizens. Other than that, they had “mistakenly” killed nine Iraqi civilians in Iskandariya. I personally can’t believe this. I mean, seriously, imagine ourselves in that kind of situation. I think everyone in this world should stands up and stop the war and embrace peace.
Diabetes Health Involves More than Just Blood Sugar Levels, Doctor Say. (Feb 8, 2008)
A study showed that “an intensive program to lower blood sugar actually increased risk of death”. Yes. This finding is very surprising. Blood sugar is an important element, so is blood pressure and cholesterol.” Therefore, I think it is true that we control our blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol before they get higher and increase the risk of death. Don’t take too much of each element and add exercise to our daily schedule.
In Seized Video, Boys Train to Fight in Iraq, U.S. Says (Feb 7, 2008)
I’m shock when I saw the picture where 3 small boys posing with weapons. How pity they are to be trained since so young so that they can fight for Iraq when they become age. Undeniable, adults have changed the childhood of all these kids. We, as a child did play with a gun before, but, it’s a fake one. But this time around, they got to fight with a real one. According to the article, those kids are really well-trained. “The children in black hoist AK-47s and pistols and rush toward an apparently unarmed man on a bicycle” and shouted: “Put your hands behind your back”. From this paragraph itself, we could know that how well-prepare these bunch of kids are in order to fight for their future. Again, please love peace and don’t pull all those innocent kids down the battle field.
What is the best way to store old newspapers? (Feb 7, 2008)
I found this article particularly interesting because many times we do not know how to keep the old newspaper and magazines. For me, I have the intention of keeping all the magazines because they really run me a lot of money. But, usually they stay for one month the longest and I tend to throw them away because I really don’t have any idea how to keep them. This article really helps. They offered a lot of methods to keep the stuffs, for example, put them in the coolest, driest places. It’s cool!
Response to “who would be impressive enough to give a speech in Malaysia”?
In my opinion, I think Hillary Clinton would be the one that impress the Malaysian citizens. One of the reasons is her gender. It’s seldom that female could get involved in politics and performs quite well. Other than that, she’s the first lady. I think most of the Malaysians know that she’s married to President Clinton. As such, she has the greatest reputation among the others. Besides, she stands up for the woman and against the abuses of woman saying that “woman’s right are human’s right” which I think all of the Malaysian female will support her because of this. She’s also the one who announced the end of the war in Iraq and urged President Bush to act immediately. She even told the public that “if President Bush does not end the war, when she’s president, she will”. This shows that woman have the equal power as well as equal right as men. She’s the role model for everyone to know a fact, which is “don’t ever under-estimate the power of woman”. Other than that, I truly think that everybody is likely to accept someone who’s ready to actually fight for the children, and Hillary Clinton is the one. She has promised to reform the No Child Left behind Act if she’s the president. I have had asked for some opinion from some Malaysian past few days. Most of them will go for Hillary Clinton, and some of them will go for Obama, whereas no one really knows who Mc Cain is. Besides, I have 5 Malaysians who said that they don’t even care and they do not know who they are either. Therefore, I assumed that Hillary Clinton would be the most impressive one compare to others.
2.5.08
A1 – A21
“With Economy Fitful, Americans Are Starting to Pay as They Go.” The story goes over the sad history of American’s living well beyond their means. People using credit cards and home mortgages just to live day to day while they spend their paychecks on “toys.” Last year the national savings was at a negative 14% up to 7% this year because of the harder processes of loans. The rest of the article tells of how much American’s are spending money that doesn’t really exist and that experts say people need to come to terms of living within their means.
A4
“Protecting a Wildcat So Rare That Some Deny It’s Real.” On the Japanese Island of Iriomote a wildcat said to have roamed the island for 200,000 years is in need of protection. Due to increased population and tourism, researchers say that its numbers estimate below 100. “Eco-roads” have been dug underneath roads to allow these and other animals safe passage.
A13
“Mired in Crisis, Italy Veers Toward Elections.” The article reads that Italy seems close to holding elections. The issue is that the President could not find enough parliamentary support to form an interim government to fix the nations flawed political system. The current system makes it nearly impossible to obtain a majority in the upper house, the Senate. Opposition to the issues stems from current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s campaign for a third term. Leading in the poles, he’s the richest man in Italy. Hmm, I wonder why he’s leading?
D3
“Car-Free, Solar City in Gulf Could Set a New Standard for Green Design.” This was a really interesting article. In the desert of the Persian Gulf, ground is being broken to build Masdar City. Designed to be entirely self-sufficient, the city is intended to be a hub for academic and corporate research on non-polluting energy technologies. The graduate level school, Masdar Institue is associated with Massachusetts Institue of Technology. Imagine Venice, but subtract the water and charming atmosphere. Such attempts at these “green” cities have been in Arizona, China and elsewhere.
2.6.08
A8
“Death Toll in Kenya Exceed 1,000, but Talks Reach Crucial Phase.” Tuesday, negotiations entered a critical stage to end the country’s violent political crisis. Even though wide-spread vote-rigging took place, both candidates, Mr. Kibaki and Mr. Odinga claim to have won the election fairly. Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, is mediating the talks.
2.7.08
A3
“U.S.-Backed Russian Institutes Help Iran Build Reactor.” The institutes, both in Nizhny Novgorod, gave American officials copies of sales presentations that listed the Bushehr reactor as one of their projects. While many in DC believe that Iran want to make nuclear weapons, the design of the reactor leaves the opportunity to recover the amounts of plutonium needed, limited. Russia states that part of the deal says that all plutonium produced would be collected and removed from the country.
E1
“The Beta Male’s Charms.” This article goes over a no-budget web series of three college graduates living in Queens. The short shows depict the dismal life of the Beta Male who’s always in search of love and always get their hearts broken. The show was promoted by creating myspace pages for the fictional characters. Before the pilot episodes reached the net each site have more that 2,000 friends.
2/6-2/11 weekly news update!
2-6-08, A13: Seattle Takes Steps to Recognize Minorities’ Role in Shaping Region: Seattle has not always been a nice place. It is now shaped into a more diversified area with new museums being built and new exhibits focusing on immigrants in the region. Immigrants and minorities are not as defined by places, while blacks and Asians are better connecting with the city.
2-6-08, A13: Georgia Loses Federal Case In a Dispute About Water: Georgia no longer has the rights to withdraw water from Lake Lanier, as ruled by a federal appellate court. The water is used for supplying northern Georgia residents with drinking water. Alabama and Florida rely on the water for the generation of power and more. These two states argue that Georgia had no right to use the reservoir as it was originally built for hydropower.
2-6-08, A15: The space shuttle, Atlantis, is finally scheduled for liftoff Thursday. The repairs and technical issues have been solved. The 11-day mission will involve seven crewmembers.
2-6-08, A17: The fashion page is revealing unusual styles of clothes, as usual. I still don’t understand their idea of fashion!
2-6-08, A20: The Next Step to Safety: American’s dealt with millions of toy “problems” in 2007. Given that toys were being recalled for containing lead paint and magnets, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Congress have taken slow and insignificant steps to tighten any safety rules. The Bush Administration is under financed and also understaffed, leaving it with little authority to make any changes. Safety laws are not as strong as they should be.
2-6-08, C1: Dow Plunges On New Sign of Recession: Stocks are continuously plummeting, endlessly leaving the United States feel as if a recession is almost here.
2-6-08, C1: In CBS Test, Mobile Ads Find Users: CBS plans to experiment with their cell phone advertisements. Subscribers to the social networking service, Loopt, will be able to receive ads for places which they are near. The service will be able to track the users and send advertisements through their cell phone for places which they are near. They think that as long as they are advertising for places which are relevant to the consumers, they will be successful.
2-6-08, C1: Disney Presents an Upbeat Outlook Despite Economy’s Troubles: Even though the economy continues to weaken, Walt Disney is trying to convince Wall Street that, because they are able to profit across many business lines, Walt Disney can still market more effectively and efficiently than other companies. Walt Disney is not worried about the weak economy and their advertising sales and theme park business have not been affected.
2-6-08, C8: 2007 set a record for the highest number of flight delays in years. 24.2% of flights arrived late, mostly due to weather. President Bush wants to make change happen for the summer, to avoid setting another record. A lot of passengers are starting to seek smaller airlines, instead of large carriers.
2-6-08, C13: Giants won the Super Bowl!
2-7-08, A27: Parents who are infected with HIV or AIDS can transmit the disease to their children if they pre-chew their food. Open sores and inflammation can easily spread the disease. This is only reported to have happened in three documented cases; however, pre-chewing food may not be as uncommon as we may think.
2-8-08, A6: The World Health Organization is the tobacco industry’s largest enemy. The W.H.O. noted that poor countries are seeing a rise in tobacco sales while the wealthier ones are experiencing a drop. A report has been developed which lists six steps that they will take to fight the tobacco industry and their influence.
2-8-08, A16: Obama has raised more money than Hilary Clinton has when it comes to fund-raising. Obama said he has been receiving a good base from people, even if they are in smaller increments. The $25, $50, etc, amounts that people are sending seems to be working for him. Obama has raised 32 million, much more than Hilary has.
2-8-08, A20: A seven year old died from a brain injury that has been assumed to have been caused by the stepfather. The evidence leads to believe she had been suffering for many hours before her parents even sought for help. She was extremely thin when she was found, and also was believed to have been unconscious for 13 hours before she died.
2-8-08, A20: Less paper is being thrown at parades. 36.5 tons of paper was collected after the parade in celebration of the Giants victory for the super bowl. The sanitation department says this number is low compared to other years. The celebration for the World Series when the Yankees won generated 46.7 tons of paper. Sounds like a lot to me!
2-8-08, C3: Drug companies are getting into trouble by directly advertising to consumers. Dr. Robert Jarvik was involved in the Lipitor Campaign where he has been using stunt doubles in his advertisements for Lipitor. Jarvik signed a contract to get paid over a million dollars if he was the celebrity pitchman for Lipitor for two years. False and misleading statements are being questioned by the use of him as a celebrity endorsement.
2-11-08, A4: Since January, women in Mexico can hop on an all-women bus if they prefer. There was a lot of harassment going on in unisex buses, some incidents reported and some left unreported. Women only” buses are helping reduce unwanted contact between genders on crowded buses. Currently, only four buses are ‘women-only,’ yet in the near future there may be as many as 15.
2-11-08, A15: Another receptor for H.I.V. has been discovered.
2-11-08, A 17: So far, President Bush has been quiet and reserved when it comes to announcing his thoughts on the presidential race. Bush has finally publicly announced how he feels about McCain. He applauded his conservativeness even though McCain has disagreed with Bush in other areas.
In the New York Times 2/12/08-2/18/08
Tuesday, 2/12/08
“CBS Reports 2 Journalists Missing in Iraq”, A10
Two CBS reporters have been reported missing in southern Iraq, in the city of Basra. Reporter abductions have been increasing in Basra over the past few years.
“Battle Against Counterfeit Drugs Has New Weapon: Pollen”, A10
China, once again, has been getting complaints of fake drugs. A task force of scientists, public health workers, and police investigators conducted pollen analysis to track down the source of counterfeit drugs…..they found an organized crime ring did it. The fake drugs are thought to be distributed to undermine the fight against malaria. One million die each year from it. Studies have also shown that between 1/3rd to ½ of all artesunate tablets in mainland Southeast Asia are fake.
Wednesday, 2/13/08
“The Tale of the Dead Texas Dog Is Biting the Mayor Who Told it”, A1
Ex-mayor, Grace Saenz-Lopez from Alice, Texas agreed to take care of her neighbors’ sick dog, then lied to the neighbors that the dog had died and she buried it. Ms. Saenz-Lopez is being charged with tampering with evidence and fabricating a police report. Her sister, Gracy Garcia, is being charged for concealing evidence. This felony charge could put the 64-year old women away for 10 years. The ex-mayor said recently that she was only trying to save that dog from an imminent death.
“Warding Off Evil Spirits, But Not Toll of Affluence”, A4
On Miyako Island, Japan, they have processions and religious rites to ward off evil spirits. The ancient rituals are performed by the elderly women, called priestesses, who are entrusted with protecting the villages’ sacred forests, wells, springs, and oracles. But less and less younger women these days seem willing to become priestesses when they retire due to having jobs. There are only 10 priestesses left. Many can see an end to this ancient ritual because the new generation doesn’t want to learn it. We’re seeing this more and more each day. In S.C., the basket weaving tradition is also being lost because of the new generation’s unwillingness to learn. I think it’s sad.
Thursday, 2/14/08
“Interpreter Freed in Iraq, But Journalist Is Still Captive”, A12
They released the interpreter, but not the journalist. We are hoping to recover the journalist within the next 24 hours. The two men were abducted on Sunday.
“2 Sue to Void Ban on Same-Sex Marriage”, A20
In Denver, Colorado, a lesbian couple is suing the state to overturn its ban on gay marriage. The suit was brought on by the recorder’s office refused to give a marriage liscence. The trial date is April 14th. This is a fight against sexual orientation discrimination. They are on a mission to change the laws.
Friday, 2/15/08
“Gunman Slays Five in Illinois At a University” A1
A gunman opens fire in the front of a lecture hall, firing ammunition into the body of students. The gunman was a graduate student who was no longer enrolled. After the shooting spree, the gunman killed himself.
“In Remote Valley, a Grim Redefinition of ‘Fishing’”, A4
In Rio Grande Valley, Jamaica, poachers are using poison in the rivers to catch jumbo shrimp, janga. The poison is polluting the water and hurting the ecosystem. Many villagers are starting to protest the practice, putting violators in jail instead of letting them sell their catch in the markets.
Monday, 2/18/08
“No Windows, No Heat, No Staff, No Rent. This Is a Gallery?”, B1
A warehouse that has no heat, windows, staff, or rent, artists are free to display their art here. It’s not advertised, anyone can come in and look at the art…or steal it.
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2-6-08 A17 Fashion
Halson Models show off new threads-
They look kind of scary though, they don't smile. Liza Minnelli(Judy's daughter) was at the show. The models looked a little like robots, I think they should smile, it would "increase their face value."
2-6-08 A19
Defense in Beating Death Focuses on Mother's Role-
I haven't heard this story, but apparently a seven year-old girl was killed by her mother and stepfather. She was killed with a blunt-force trauma to the head along with the condition of "Chronic Child Abuse Syndrome." The photographs of the child (Nixzinary Brown) brought the jurors to tears. This is so sad. She was rail thin and covered with bruises. Both the parents are on trial for murder. I'm not even sure what to say about this. It is absolutely awful.
A14 2-6-08
Manufacturer in 2 Million Accord With U.S. on Deficient Kevlar in Military Helmets-
Kevlar helmets made at Sioux Manufacturing in North Dakota failed to meet the government's "critical" minimum standard fo 35-by-35 threads per square inch. When the helmet is woven correctly it can deflect shrapnel and some bullets; but the company was underweaving with some as low as 32. This loss of mass with just a 34-by-34 weave can lose 5 percent in crossovers, which is a lot for the integrity of the helmet. The company added extra resin to the helmets to increase their weight, but this reduces elasticity and makes the helmet even more brittle. The two wistle-blowers, Jeff Kenner and Tamra Elshaug were fired after protesting helmet violations. This is crazy, how do you send a soldier to fight without the proper gear?
2-7-08 E8
With a Little Help From the Sun-
Size-reducing advances in rechargeable batteries and solar panels allow travelers to have Earth-friendly options for power. One of the chargers converts solar rays to electricity and then streams it. I think this is awesome!! Especially for people making documentaries in harsh conditions, such as Lake Tele. You can recharge all your equipment with the sun.
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