'Pull over, pull over!': Driver describes horrific Bay Area limousine fire

This article discusses the recent tragedy of a limousine fire. The journalists begin with logos and explain that five women were killed as the limo drove over a bridge over the San Francisco Bay. The article contains a quotation from the limo driver who describes that he thought one woman was asking him to pull over so she could smoke. What instead was occurring was that the woman was crying that there was actual smoke and a fire, so the driver should pull over. The driver understood this cry for help just a little too late. With the journalists' inclusion of these horrifying quotations from the desperate women, they appeal to pathos and make the audience sympathize and grieve over the tragic sudden death of these women. The journalists then switch back to logos when they include quotations from the coroner who deduced that the women were trying to escape from the passenger compartment into the driver's compartment, but only one woman was successful in doing so. The journalists then include information about the bride who was in limo, on the way to her bridal shower. This information appeals to both pathos and logos as many female readers will feel deep sympathy due to the fact that this woman was newly married in the United States and was about to hold a ceremony for her family in the Philippines in the near future. The article concludes with a statement of sympathy from the limousine company regarding the immense tragedy.


Link to article: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/06/18085625-pull-over-pull-over-driver-describes-horrific-bay-area-limousine-fire?lite

Bangladesh Riots

Hefazat-e-Islami, or the "Protectors of Islam," are a conservative group of Muslims that came together with the common goal to conserve the ideals of Islam. The author describes the ordinary streets of Bangladesh, usually filled with markets and children, then transitions to describe the violent riot, caused by this Islamic extremist group, where more than 14 people were found dead, and over 75 wounded.The Hefazat-e-Islami went tot he government to share their strong beliefs that anyone who blasphemed Islam should be put to death. Other beliefs include mandatory Islamic education, a ban on all statues, and that, in a country of 150 million people, men and women should not be allowed to mix and interact. When their demands were not met or even acknowledged by the government, these bloody riots broke out in the streets of Motijheel. The country's direction at this point is unpredictable, as two opposing forces are intensifying. The youth in these conflicted cities are rising up and going to the government in attempt to ban extremist groups such as the Hefazat-e-Islami. The next couple months, or even weeks, will reveal whether Islamic radicals will take over Bangladesh cities, or whether these violent riots will continue.

Evidence Syria "used sarin"

There is evidence that a human rights violation occured when rebels in Syria, have used sarin gas against citizens. The use of this gas has been made illegal by the UN and as a result the case will be brought to the UN as a human rights violation. The author of this article is completely detached from the matter simply listing facts about the event, and quoting others. It causes less of an appeal to pathos making the reader react to the intensity of the situation less. However, their logos is clearly displayed as the reader is fully aware of the fact that their was a violation, and this adds to the already current tension  within this area of the world.

Google Glass, the beginning of wearable surveillance

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/01/opinion/chertoff-wearable-devices

In this article,  Michael Chertoff argues that google glass is a step towards a world the likes 1984, where privacy is nonexistent. Although he may be right, his overall argument was weak and lacking proof. He begins with an overstated analogy that compared the new google glasses to "wearable drones" where millions of Americans would walk around "capturing video and audio recordings of everything that happens around them" that would be uploaded to "the cloud", which is basically free Internet storage. His analogy is a little contrived; he's comparing a pair of advanced glasses to militarized weapons capable of keen surveillance and mass destruction. To prove that google glasses are damaging to personal privacy, he cites the fact that one  bar owner has banned the device because he fears it will make his patrons uncomfortable. There are hundreds of thousands of bars in this country; one owner's negative reactions is not nearly enough proof to support his argument. In addition, his ethos as secretary of homeland security during the Bush administration works against him because the Bush administration was responsible for tightening security and increasing national surveillance.Unfortunately, the rest of the article is him going on to ask the same question in multiple ways: who owns this information on the cloud and what will the consequences be? He is correct in arguing that videos can be taken of people without their knowing; someone wearing the glasses could be walking down the street and taking video. However, any smartphone or camera can do the same thing- even cameras on buildings do the same thing! Chertoff may be right in that the google glasses will promote the invasion of privacy, but the privacy of Americans has been disregarded for years with things such as the patriot act and previous technological advances; the only difference is now the power of surveillance rests with the people, rather than the government.

Lipstick Study

Occasionally stories about poison in makeup and strange substances being used to manufacture toiletries appear in the news, but a recent study by University of California-Berkeley's School of Public Health claims that there are potentially high levels of metal in lipsticks that women all over America use every day. The article states that “lipsticks could result in excessive exposure to chromium, a carcinogen linked to stomach tumors.” The study tested 32 “commonly sold lipsticks and lip glosses” which they found contained “lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum, and five other metals.” Author Wendy Koch stresses the fact that it is not merely the presence of the metals alone causing the potential health risks, but the amount in the lipsticks that are then used multiple times a day. The article explains that lipsticks are absorbed into the system as a woman wears them. People who apply lipsticks and lip glosses a dozen times a day could be at risk for health issues.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/02/toxic-chemicals-lipstick/2125325/

North Korea Says Prisoner Won't Be Used As Leverage

North Korea Says Prisoner Won’t Be Used As Leverage

Though the title leads readers to believe that the article is solely about the prisoner, author Choe Sang-Hun focuses on the tensions between North Korea and the US. Sang-Hun makes use of many quotations to establish points of view from North Korea, which is normally very isolated. This catches his readers’ attentions since North Korea is often very closed off from the rest of the world in terms of communication. He references previous Presidents who met with North Korean leaders in order to free prisoners, establishing the fact that this time things are different and a quick fix might not be in the near future. He makes the tension between the two nations conspicuous when writing, “During his trial, Mr. Bae confessed and admitted his crimes, the North said, according to the state news media.” Here Sang-Hun puts in his own beliefs very subtly. Sang-Hun is skeptical about Mr. Bae’s trial and his confession since the only perspective we have is from the North Korean media, which is obviously monitored by the government. Sang-Hun leaves the conclusion inconclusive, establishing the fact that the tensions between the US and North Korea are unresolved and the future for the two nations is very unpredictable.    

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/world/asia/north-korea-says-kenneth-bae-isnt-a-bargaining-chip.html?ref=world

Utah soccer referee dies after attack by teenage player

The article begins with a general description of what previously occurred, then goes into greater detail about what happened between the player and the referee.  The 17-year-old player struck the referee, Ricardo Portillo, in the face after Portillo made a call that penalized the player.  The player was issued with a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct on the field.  After being taken to the hospital, what was originally believed to be minor injuries was later determined to be a substantial injury to the head.  Portillo went into a coma and was in critical condition until the time of his death Saturday night.  The teen was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and is being held in a juvenile detention center.  He will face additional charges this week in connection with the death of the referee.  The author includes a quotation from an interview with the victim's daughter.



Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-utah-soccerbre94407f-20130505,0,861077.story

Study: US is texting less

This article, written by Peter Svensson, discusses the decline of the popularity of texting in the United States. Instead, Svensson describes, people are turning more to internet applications as a mode of communication. Svensson uses logos when he includes the fact that last year, texting was down 5% from 2011, although Americans still sent 2.2 trillion messages, which is 19 texts per person a day. Svensson then includes the history of texting when he explains that it used to be extremely popular when it first came into being, even though the messages usually cost 10 cents each. Now, text messaging is typically free, which is why the decline in usage is confusing. Svensson does not provide an explanation for the sudden decline, but does include interesting facts about the history of texting. The first text messages were used in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s, and did not catch on in the United States for awhile because phone calls in the US were significantly cheaper than those in Europe. Svensson does include a quotation that states that text messaging will most likely remain popular because of its convenience and ease of use, and therefore the decline in the past year is probably not extremely significant.


Link to article: http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20130502&id=16431769

Nurse Murders Multiple Patients

Charles Cullen, a former nurse at over six different hospitals over the past fifteen years, has just been found guilty of murdering his patients. While he claims that he wanted to "relieve them of their suffering," all of the patients he killed were in recovery from illnesses that were entirely treatable. Using excessive amounts of Digoxin, a drug that disrupts the regular pattern of the heart and stop it all together, Cullen managed to kill multiple patients without the hospital knowing the cause of death. He put this powerful drug in saline solution bags and administered IV's to patients who did not need them. Charles Cullen was interviewed for the first time on 60 minutes, in which interviewers ask him if he considers himself a serial killer. Cullen was often distracted and unemotional to each prying question. When asked if he could give an explanation to the families who have lost love ones due to his malicious behavior, he only shook his head no and said "there is no explanation or justification. I just did it."

Next Steps on Military Assaults

Next Steps on Military Sexual Assaults

The author begins by establishing his topic for discussion as a major issue. He uses statistics right from the beginning and says that they are “shocking statistics” adding to the issue of the “military’s pervasive culture of sexual misconduct”. The author uses diction such as “despite” to establish the fact that the military tries to combat these types of sexual assaults with a “zero tolerance” policy. He continues to use statistics to back up his argument as he demonstrates the devastating effects that sexual assault can have on military women. He then explains how the government is taking a stand by introducing two “promising” bills that Senator Gillibrand has proposed.  He illustrates the depth of the argument by using statistics as well as backing up his evidence with important and credible people such as Senator Kristen Gillibrand. The author concludes by addressing the fact that most aspects of military discipline  are “already badly broken” suggesting that there is something wrong with the whole system. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/opinion/next-steps-on-military-sexual-assaults.html?hp&_r=0

MRI

Currently, scientists study the minds and brains  of children in order to understand how we grow and learn and how a baby's mind transforms to that of an adult.  By studying children, scientists are able to ask questions about how the brain supports learning a language, how and when we learn that other people may old beliefs that are different from our own, and how we come to understand and make reasonable moral evaluations. Through these studies we are able to see how the experiences we have shape our development. Scientists are able to study the development of children's brain development with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is a very safe procedure we can use to take pictures of people's brains. An MRI shows images that show the brain's anatomy, or shape, appear as still photographs. MRI technology allows scientists to observe the process of language, perceiving social interactions, interpreting visual images, and injuries. This allows them to study how the the brain processes stimuli and how neural responses change with age.

Lasting Effects

Despite the fact that it has only been three years since the incident, many Americans have forgotten about the Louissiana oil spill. The crisis has created lasting effects on both the environment and economy of the Louisianna coast, and yet adequate attention is hardly being paid to the event. Fisherman report in an article that the intake of caught oysters and other fish in Lousianna has dramatically reduced sibnce three years ago, and fishermen are also struggling to find specific species since the incident of the oil spill. As a result, the annual income of the fishermen has reduced, and made the lives of fishermen more difficult than it had been in the past. Americans should dedicate more time and energy towards crisises such as the oil spill, and should continue to make efforts toward reestablishing the environment which was corrupted by human hands.

7-year-old boy steals dad's car to avoid church

This article by Zach Bowin details a car chase with a twisted ending.  Bowin heavily appeals to logos including specific details about the incident. A seven year old boy, in an effort to avoid going to church with his family, "pilfered his dad's keys". Bowin states tht the cops followed the car back to a house where the young boy got out of the car and "ran into his father's house." He appeals to logos here, and then again, even including the type of car the boy was in. It was a "white Dodge Intrepid".  Bowin appeals to pathos, making jokes about the story, by questioning: "Standard fare, you say? Not quite." Though a serious, and possibly dangerous story, with the young boy home safe the author is able to see the humor in the situation. Bowin appeals to pathos once again making sure to include that the young boy will not be disciplined in front of the law but left to be reprimanded by his parents. This detail makes the readers feel more at ease with the story because the young boy not only made it home safely but also managed to haggle himself out of serious trouble. He's just another honry little boy, unintentionally causing trouble. If you ask me, this young man was quite ingenious. I think Bowin would agree with my statement, as he made sure to include that the 7 year old drove quite well in fact, keeping control of the car with te exception of running one stop sign. Quite impressive.  Bowin raps up the article with an allusion to a fan favorite movie, Talladega Nights, Ricky Bobby: "As Ricky Bobby would say, 'I wanna go fast.'" This quote ended the article on a perfect, humorous note. 

http://m.autoblog.com/2013/04/26/7-year-old-boy-steals-dads-car-to-avoid-church/

Tears and Rage as Hope Fades in Bangladesh

Jim Yardley of the New York Times covers the tragic collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh and the surrounding circumstances and overall impact. Yardley begins by describing a heart wrenching scene of a mother hopelessly searching for both of her children through the chaos and panic of the situation. He transitions from this specific example into the reaction as a whole when he writes, "Thousands of people surrounded the site on Sunday, watching the huge rescue operation, even as hopes faded that many more victims would be found alive."  Yardley focuses on this specific mother and the desperate reaction of the entire crowd in his first paragraph to open with a strong emphasis on pathos. Although the tragedy has political and economical ramifications, the emotional impact of the event draws the most attention and feelings. Therefore, his first two paragraphs are centered around the emotions and efforts directly following the catastrophe.  Yardley then transitions to the facts of the event when he states, "With national outrage boiling over, Bangladeshi paramilitary officers tracked down and arrested Sohel Rana, the owner of the building, who was hiding near the Indian border, and returned him by helicopter to Dhaka."  He immediately acknowledges that this event has caused national tension.  In addition, he introduces the efforts being made to reach the origin of the event. Yardley continues on to include further details, while also playing on pathos.  For example, he explains that this is the worst accident ever to occur in the garment industry as a result of the 377 deaths and countless injuries. Although these are facts of the event, they also have an emotional side as they depict the true extent of the tragedy.  Furthermore, Yardley includes another perspective as he uses quotations from firemen that are dedicated toward saving as many lives as possible in the aftermath of the accident. He begins to conclude the article as he returns to a strong use of pathos by quoting another mother observing the scene: "It would be better if you killed me than if you asked me to go away.” Yardley successfully balances his use of pathos and logos in order to form an accurate picture of the event while also demonstrating the emotional toll.  Also, he gives a summary of the national impact of the event, while also including more specific examples of the direct effects of the tragedy.

Dog Lovers Tricked into Buying Steroid-filled Ferrets instead of Poodles

Sometimes news stories describe events that seem impossible or just plain silly, such as the thief who stole a pizza delivery car and continued making deliveries.  A few weeks ago, another curious story appeared. According to the short article, several ferrets have been sold to unsuspecting customers at the La Salada in Argentina. These customers were tricked into believing that the steroid-induced ferrets were actually extremely inexpensive poodles. One customer did not find out about his mistake until he took his “poodle” to the vet. The article is accompanied by photos of the ferret-poodle. It is hard to understand how so many people could be tricked into actually believing that a fluffy-looking rodent was a poodle on sale.

metro.co.uk/2013/04/08/dog-lovers-tricked-into-buying-steroid-filled-ferrets-instead-of-poodles-3587261/

Tulsa 2024 Olympics? Oklahoma's Second-Largest City Inquires About Hosting Games

This past winter, Tulsa, Oklahoma successfully hosted a major fishing tournament. Now, after their achievement and recognition, Tulsa wants to host the 2024 Olympics. This small town of about 400,000 people was one of the small cities that received letters from U.S. Olympic Committee seeking potential hosts for the 2024 Olympics. Tulsa's local officials know that in order to be considered they might have to spend an estimated 3.4 billion dollars. In order to pass the Olympic standards, this money would be used towards building new hotels and an Olympic stadium. For the community of Tulsa, it is not just about hosting the Olympic games, they want to break their stereotypes. In fact, a member of the Olympic Committee, Neil Mavis said,  "Many people think of cowboys and Indians. ... Bidding for the Olympics is the one way to change those stereotypes." Justin Juozapavicius, author of the article, references back to other small cities that have hosted the Winter Olympic games such as Lake Placid and Sqauw Valley, however, it is rare for the summer games to be hosted in a small city. For a small town like Tulsa to host the Olympic games would be hard but possible. The city hopes to be considered and not a "laughingstock. We [Tulsa] don't want to lose credibility."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/28/tulsa-2024-olympics-oklahoma_n_3172404.html?utm_hp_ref=sports

Maryland families to get new tool in fight against drug overdoses

Writer Kevin Rector begins his pathos driven passage with a picture of a locket of a mother whose son died of a heroin overdose.  When the article actually begins,  a mother who has already had one son die due to an overdose says her greatest fear is losing another son to an overdose as well.  Her son's half-brother suffers from the same kind of heroin addiction that her first son died from; both have depression as well.  However, Kirk Fletcher, the surviving son, is in a methadone program that will help him to avoid taking heroin.  The Maryland State Assembly decided earlier this year to create a program in which family members of drug addicts were prescribed and trained in administering Naloxone - a drug already used by emergency responders to give to overdosing patients.  This new ability gives Mrs. Fletcher some peace of mind, as she feels easier about being able to help her son in the case of him having an overdose.  Although she has not fully recovered from the loss of her first son, Mrs. Fletcher is thankful for the recent availability of Naloxone, for she knows the amount of lives that could be saved through this program.

Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/perry-hall/bs-md-overdose-program-20130425,0,5939296.story

Boston Bomber Suspects

This three page online article, written by six people in three different states, is an in-depth account of the recent investigations on the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, and his older brother, Tamerlan, 26. Dzhokhar is currently in the hospital for what officials say could have been an attempt of suicide, as the injury “had the appearance of a close-range, self-inflicted style”. Tamerlan was killed during the Watertown shootout, in which approximately 80 rounds of bullets were fired. The brothers were equipped with a large amount of various weapons, and evidence is leading police to believe that the two brothers had plans to move beyond Boston, and continue to New York. Questions remain as to how the brothers obtained their weapons and whether the F.B.I. was at fault for an "intelligence failure", as the Russian government had asked the F.B.I. to monitor Tamerlan in January of 2011, after he had been introduced to an Islam convert, and a year before a six month stay in predominately Muslim, militant areas in Russia.

As the article was written by several people, the emotional aspect is nonexistent. There is, however, extensive research that helped construct the story from all perspectives. The article progresses from details about the original Marathon bombing, to the Watergate shooting, and then includes details about their personal lives, and their history with the F.B.I. This enables the reader to arrive at his or her own opinion after getting all the information. It is very detached, other than presenting the general negative outlook on the situation, and some of the flaws of the government, and of course, the actions of the two brothers. A point is brought up, however, indicating the possibility that Dzhokhar was merely following his brothers actions, after being pressured and brainwashed into doing so. This hypothesis is a direct quote by Mayor Thomas Menino, which preserves the detachment of the journalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/us/boston-marathon-bombing-suspects-hoped-to-attack-again.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Festive and Defiant, London Runs a Marathon for Boston

Festive and Defiant, London Runs a Marathon for Boston

This article about the London Marathon reaches out to those who participated in the Boston Marathon earlier last week. Author John F. Burns focuses on connecting and highlighting the support that Boston runners are receiving from runners around the world. He illustrates the support of Boston in his description of “an array of American flags” that were seen everywhere during the race. He quotes Geoff Wightman who was the official commentator for the marathon, “Marathon running is a global sport. It unites runners and supporters on every continent in pursuit of a common challenge and in the spirit of friendship and fellowship. This week, the world marathon family was shocked and saddened by the events in the Boston Marathon.” Burns inserts this quotation to illustrate the support that the runners offered. At the same time this quotation demonstrates a sense family, which Burns later uses to defy terrorism. Burns pays specific attention to everything that was done in order to honor the runners of the Boston Marathon. He writes about banners and donations made in order to support the One Fund Boston Campaign.   He continues with the article, making note of the people who ran and attended the race. Burns uses lists to include inspiring and heartwarming people such as paralmypic participants and crazy people dressed in costume. He uses these lists to further illustrate the extent of community and support.  In the conclusion, Burns quotes Prince Harry “People are saying they haven’t seen crowds like this along the route for eight years”. This quotation clearly expresses the enthusiasm and support that was present at the race, demonstrating courage and strength in the face of terror. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/sports/london-marathon-is-completed-without-security-problems.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&ref=world

Aftermath

The aftermath of the Boston Bombing is a strong and thriving presence in the city of Boston. In honor of the victims of the bombing, citezens of Boston are falling silent at exactly 2:50 this afternoon. Investigators have been persuing the efforts of attempting to interrogate the hospitalized suspect of the bombing, yet their efforts have come up with little results as the suspect remains in serious condition, unable to speak at all.

Despite the fact that each of the suspects have been identified and captured, the city, as well as the nation as a whole remains unsure of whether or not a similar tragedy might reoccur. The United States population is surely shaken up by the tragic events which occured a week ago today.

Despite the horrific effects of the marathon bombing, the reactions to the event also bring into light the severity of the catastrophic events which happen every day in war zone developing countries such as Iraq or Syria. The bombings in Boston, although terrible, have given The US just a small taste of the worldy tragedies which occur. Although it is important to attend the the boston tragedy at hand, and to unite to get through the impact the bombing has had on our nation, it is also important to learn from the effects of the bombing and to begin to make efforts toward reducing events like these around the world, and to strive for world peace as well as our nations' peace.


http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/22/us/boston-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

Columbine survivor: No child should worry about gunmen

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/19/opinion/lyles-columbine/index.html?hpt=op_mid

In the article, Katie Lyles argues that new legistlation is necessary to stop gun violence, specifically mass shootings. As a former student of colombine high school, she identifies her ethos as a person who experienced the fear of losing her life at a young age. Although Lyles was lucky enough to keep her life, she lost her innocence as a result of that violent day; From then on she would habitually "scan the room for exits" and have panic episodes when she would "hear the blades of a helicopter overhead.". As a current teacher, Lyles points out the scary reality of today. Kids are no longer worried about monsters in the closet or under their bed; they fear the real monsters that might angrily creep onto their playground with a loaded gun. She argues that although we may not be able to protect their minds from the events happening in the world around them, we can take active steps to stop the needless violence. First, she points out that we must take early action to identify children with mental issues and offer them proper counseling before its too late. Then, she brings up the need for enhanced school security to protect our children. Lastly, she stresses the need for new gun legistlation to outlaw high- capacity magazine clips and prevent people from getting guns without a backround check. She ends powerfully saying, "Learn from my experience -- do not wait until you experience violence first hand to realize that we need to take action. We need to take action now." By repeating the need to take action, especially at the end of her article, she further stresses that Americans need to take active measures to make life safer. Noone, especially children, should have to live their lives in fear.

Miranda Rights

Reading the Miranda Rights to a suspect being taken into custody has been part of law enforcement's protocol since the time when they were created in the 1966 Miranda vs. Arizona trial. Commonly heard on many cliche police shows, the Miranda Rights include 4 declaratory statements, followed by a question that asks if they are understood. With regard to the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon, many people obsess over the trials that these criminals will be a part of, and which punishments they must face. The heartache that Boston experienced shows that many are rooting for harsh punishments of Tsarnaev, however, it has come to the media's attention that some people are outraged that the alleged terrorist was not read his Miranda Rights. Tsarnaev is an American citizen and therefore must be read these rights, unless police officials decide the situation is too dangerous to do so. While many Bostonian's might disregard this small detail in the mix of their anger and passion, the lawyers defending Tsarnaev might be able to use the police's actions, or lack thereof, against them. Our society protects each citizen's rights, almost so much that obvious criminals are released back into the public because of a small mistake made by police. In an effort to protect our constitution, we might be sacrificing the safety of our people.

NHS Van Checked into Garage with Body Still Inside

    The NHS is not known for its excellent medical care, efficiency and organization. This assertion was confirmed this week when a NHS van was sent to a garage for repair work with a dead body inside. Apparently the van was used to transport bodies to a mortuary and somehow a body got left behind. Those in charge have taken the matter seriously and have apologized to the garage and the family of the deceased for this unacceptable occurrence, and the driver of the van has been fired. Although some may find this this story to be amusing in several ways, the author of the article does not take a light approach in describing the events from the past week. Instead he takes the standard journalistic approach to a hard news story with direct facts and quotes without any eye-catching techniques to make the article more interesting. Despite the “cookie-cutter” approach, the article conveys a bit of humor since the author is describing an out of the ordinary occurrence in an every-day, matter of fact way.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10004707/NHS-van-checked-into-garage-with-body-still-inside.html

China Earthquake Relief Rushed To Sichuan After Quake Kills 186

Sichuan residents in China face the devastating effects of an earthquake measuring 7.0, in which at least 186 people were killed.  Author Gillian Wong shares the people of Sichuan's stories, building pity for the survivors, and for those who were not so lucky.  Wong uses pathos, beginning with a story of an old man crushed by his home, while his young grandson watched.  Wong forces an empathetic audience with a heart heavy story. He uses pathos, recording a statement from the grandson saying, "We lost everything in such a short time."   The author then switches to logos, giving specific details about the earthquake in order to allow the audience to understand just how large of a disaster this earthquake was.  Wong includes the shockingly high fatality and injury numbers: "Saturday's earthquake in Sichuan province killed at least 186 people, injured more than 11,000 and left nearly two dozen missing."   The author returns to pathos once again, relaying more stories from the local people such as Fu Qiuyue, who "heard the explosions of the earthquake" and watched as her home "simply flattened in front of her."  What a life changing and devastating experience this must have been. 

Wong continues to produce a sympathetic effect in this article, detailing the aftermath of the quake for the survivors.  With the devastation of so many buildings, many people are homeless and without supplies such as water and food.   The destruction of the hospital keeps these people from having shelter, and also all of the people who were in the hospital before the quake as well as those who must be hospitalized as a result of the quake.  These people are now in lack of proper care and not to mention the fact that "sanitation is a problem now.  This use of logos was a very wise tool to develop pity for the people affected by this terrible natural disaster, painting a little picture of the reality of the devastation for these people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/21/china-earthquake-relief-sichuan-kills-186_n_3127289.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing6%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D301838#slide=more293179

Boston Marathon Motives

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/us/boston-marathon-bombings.html?src=mv&ref=general&_r=0

This article attempts to look at the possible motives the suspects of the Boston Marathon Bombing had for their act of terrorism. The dead suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had went on a journey that police find suspicious. The living suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is currently being interrogated by specialized officials. Although informative, the article fails to capture the emotional aftermath of the Boston Bombing. When mentioning the recent controversy of the officials not stating Tsarnaev's Miranda Rights, the author merely skims over the topic and moves on to the next piece of information. Also the author displays a weakness in his style when he uses passive voice, like when he says, "Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was taken into custody". Instead of saying "Officials took the suspect into custody" he uses passive voice which implies a uninformed tone. The rest of the article simply contains updates on the brother's investigation and different speculations that the investigators have about their ties to terrorist groups. Overall the article succeeds at being a formal update on this disastrous event, but lacks emotion and directness.

Red Sox, Bruins return as city moves forward

A simple, yet emotional sign was made in honor of the victims in the bombing in Boston. A blue circle filled with the Red Sox's "B"logo combined with "strong" placed below it shows the support the town has from its sports. Julian Benbow states "More than a hashtag or a slogan, it’s [the sign] become a mantra for a city still processing the effects of the terror attack that rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon." The Red Sox have begun to make other simple gestures in honor of the Boston Marathon bombing to help their fans mourn and heal. For example, during their pre-game ceremony, they wore their white jerseys with the city's name across their chest instead of their team's name. Also Boston teams have been seen sporting t-shirts with "Boston Strong" on them as well. In fact, the Boston Bruins offered memorable gestures such as leaving their hockey helmets in their locker rooms and wearing police hats prior to pre-game warm-ups to recognize the department's hard work. Now, after the suspect was caught and is in custody, the sports events are to continue as scheduled. 

Source: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/04/20/red-sox-hope-help-boston-heal/CXx084QXVe3gfJtDKOAncP/story.html

NBC pulls 'Hannibal' episode after Boston violence

After the recent bombing in Boston, NBC decided to pull its recent episode of 'Hannibal', which is about a serial killer.  They are doing this out of sensitivity to the recent event; the episode was to show a character who brainwashed children to kill other children.  Their executive producer made this decision after taking into account the Newton shooting as well as the Boston bombing.  He began discussing his decision with others a couple of weeks ago, but the event on Monday reinforced his decision to take the new episode off the air.  Though the story 'Hannibal' is irrelevant and unrelated to the bombings, the executive producer is taking precautions in order to demonstrate sensitivity to the nation as a whole.  Instead of this episode, producers decided to air another episode in its place to pacify its viewers. The viewers will not see a problem with plot continuity, and clips from behind the scenes of the unaired episode will be available online with commentary for viewers to see.  ABC has also delayed airing a new episode of 'Castle'.



Source: http://entertainment.verizon.com/news/read.php?rip_id=%3CDA5OTNG80%40news.ap.org%3E&ps=1016

Why I fled North Korea

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/opinion/lee-north-korea-refugee/index.html?hpt=op_t1

In this article, Hyeonseo Lee describes how and why she  and her family escaped North Korea, providing a chilling insight into the quality of life there. She talks about how as she was a child, she was raised to believe her country was the best in the world. Since North Koreans are so isolated from the rest of the world, as a child she believed public executions and concentration camps were normal. However, when she grew up and saw the "suffering, hunger and death" of those who were not as well off as her, she fled to China as an illegal alien. Throughout the restof the article, Lee details her experiences hiding in China and her omnipresent fear of being caught and sent back to North Korea. Her story ends happily as she and her family are reunited after 14 years spent apart and now live in South Korea.

I thought this article was very interesting and heartwearming. However, it reads more like a story than an article because Lee isn't really arguing anything, but rather recounting her past. I wish she tied her experiences in North Korea as a child to current events like the threat of nuclear missiles to the United States and its allies.

Orofino, Idaho Home Fire Kills 5, Started By Extension Cord Hooked To Electric Grill

This article depicts the mournful loss of a family due to monstrous fire in Boise, Idaho.  The fatalities included two adults, and three teens. The family had been cookin on the grill on theor porch the night before. The grill was plugged into an extension cord and never unplugged. Firfighters think that this may have caused the fire.   It was quite a shock for the town, because they have had very sparse fatalities due to fires. It is a terribly sad story.

 The author uses logos including specific details about the fire including the cause of the fire, a shorted out extension cord. The author intimates his use of logos, including quotes from knowledgable sources to verify the information, such as firefighters. The author includes the detail that one of the teens was a friend "who was sleeping over to help celebrate a birthday." This adds to the pathos because what was supposed to be a celebratory, happy event, turned out to be a devastating one.  The author concludes, adding to the mournful tone, with a statement from a firefighter which explains the pain the fatalities caused for the town. ""It's sad," he said. "I was just at the scene. There are already some teddy bears and flowers and things, a memorial put up there by some of the townspeople.""

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/04/14/orofino-idaho-home-fire_n_3080335.html?1365950999&ncid=mobile1

U.S Scrubs Missile Test to Avoid Misperception

U.S Forces Korea has decided to stay in South Korea rather than coming to Washington to testify on Capitol Hill this week. Senior US military officials called the move by General James Thurman; "a prudent measure," made in consultation with South Korea and in light of recent tensions on the peninsula, while ratcheting down tensions with North Korea. The Pentagon recently decided to delay an intercontinental ballistic missile test that had been set for this week. While the Minuteman 3 test was "long planned and never associated with North Korea", a defense official told the Associated Press that "given recent tensions on the Korean peninsula, it's prudent and wise to take steps that avoid any misperception or chance of manipulation, so the test has been postponed".

Damascus Explosion

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/world/middleeast/syria-explosion-damascus.html?ref=world

 

This article discusses a recent event in Damascus, Syria where a car bomb went off and killed and wounded many people. In total, 15 people were killed and many more wounded. The author of this article packs on the logos to first inform the reader of the situation. He includes details about the surrounding buildings and setting to provide imagery of the explosion. Nobody has been convicted for this crime, but speculations run high as the attack was near a local school. The author then transitions into pathos as he includes quotations and interviews of the locals who show their fear from the attack. The sense of danger clearly has shaken the people of Damascus as one woman cries because she does not know if her daughter is dead or alive. The article concludes with investigations and a search for answers as to who might have planted this act of terrorism. 

Computers can't replace real teachers

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/08/opinion/kopp-kids-real-teachers/index.html?hpt=op_t1

In this article, Wendy Kopp argues that technology should be used to enhance traditional education, rather than replace it. She identifies her ethos as someone experienced in the field of education saying, "As a founder of two organizations that recruit top college graduates to expand educational opportunity, I've spent a lot of time examining what's at work in successful classrooms and schools over the past two decades ".  She proves she is competent and has the experience necessary to form an opinion on the presence of modern technology in schools. Kopp does this at the beginning of her article before she brings in her logos so that her main arguments carry more weight. In the next paragraph she uses logos stating, "Research confirms that great teachers change lives. Students with one highly effective elementary school teacher are more likely to go to college, less likely to become pregnant as teens and earn tens of thousands more over their lifetimes". By pointing out the various benefits of a great teacher, Kopp implies that there is no need for technology to replace these teachers. She even says that one great teacher for dozens of kids is better than a shiny, smooth laptop for every kid. Not only does Kopp describe what teachers can do, she lists what computers cannot. She uses anaphora to argue that there are many things computers cant do that great teachers can: "Computers cannot create a culture of excellence and push students to meet high expectations.Computers cannot visit students' homes to get to know their families and engage them in their progress.Computers cannot raise money and organize college visits to show students who have never left their communities what they're working toward". By repeating "Computers cannot" over and over, Kopp emphasizes the fact that "computers cannot" do alot of things. After Kopp states the reasons why technology can't replace teachers, she uses logos to show how technology should enhance education. She brings up Rocketship Education, a charter network that helps low-income students use technology to learn in conjunction with tradtional teaching. Kopp uses the example of Rocketship education to prove that " technology strengthens the personal ties between students, parents and teachers that are the key to its success." Teachers are necessary to education and not just an antiquated tradition we need to move beyond. Teachers encourage us to learn and do our best, teachers help us work out problems, and teachers engage us by learning how students learn best.

Afghan Children Reported Among Dead in U.S. Strike

For the past few news blog posts I have read articles involving our country's military action in Afghanistan.  This week Azam Ahmed of the New York Times wrote an article exploring the recent U.S. strike in Afghanistan that resulted in civilian death. Ahmed begins the article by blatantly stating the current situation when he writes, "An American military air strike in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border was reported to have killed 18 people, including at least one senior Taliban commander but also women and children, raising the thorny issue of civilian casualties for the third time in roughly a week."  Ahmed describes the current situation, but also includes the fact that this is a repeated problem.  Ahmed continues on to give further facts about the women and children killed in the strike.  He emphasizes these facts because he knows the death of innocent women and young children pulls in pathos.  This aspect of the situation causes Americans to pay much more attention to the strike as a result of emotions linked to innocent death. However, Ahmed demonstrates both sides of the situation as he goes on to describe the American military justification for this attack.  He quotes a military leader when he writes, "“Government officials might tell you that Afghan and foreign forces only have the right to use air strikes in unpopulated areas, but in practice it is different. Americans will use their air support whenever they need it, no matter where it is and no matter how many presidential decrees are issued.” For example, this leader explains the argument that these strikes are launched in an effort to protect American soldiers. However, Ahmed immediately returns to pathos when he supplies more statistics on the attack by writing: "That attack, the deadliest for Americans in Afghanistan this year, was preceded last week by one of the worst Taliban attacks since the start of the war, when more than 44 Afghan civilians were killed in a complex assault in Farah Province."  By including the statement in the conclusion of his article, Ahmed reiterates the severity of the attack.  Although he demonstrates both sides of the situation, his tone clearly is regrettable toward the situation. The unbalanced amount of information and pathos included regarding the innocent deaths demonstrate his message that Americans need to consider all aspects of attacks.

Trauma Sets Female Veterans Adrift Back Home

This article written for the New York Times by Patricia Brown tells the heartbreaking and sometimes overlooked reality of female veterans. Brown tells the story of Tiffany Jackson- a former Los Angeles socialite turned solider, and eventually a cocaine addict and military sexual assault victim. Military sexual trauma, abbreviated M.S.T, is described by Brown using logos and pathos, allowing for the staggering statistics and the awful truth of female veterans home lives to be seen. Brown introduces a fact mostly overlooked when it comes to homeless veterans in that female veterans are 60% more likely to be single parents. Brown uses pathos in order to make it clear that not only are women attempting to recover from the violence of war, rape, and other trauma, but they are trying to find basic shelter for not only themselves, but their children as well. Brown's equal use of pathos and logos allow for the reader to understand the pain that is associated with those numbers and the harsh reality of our female servicewomen.

US Responds to North Korea's Military Threat

Attempting to reflect the United States's aggressive attitude, the author of this article, David Sanger, sounds confident as he explains the possible response our country might send to North Korea. North Korea, having a history of antagonistic behavior, has publicly announced their new, and extremely dangerous, military weapons. Sanger continues to quote people such as the commander of the American forces and the president himself to strengthen the urgency of his article. South Korea and the US worked together to create a response to North Korea that basically threatened to retaliate with as much force as both nations could afford. So ignorant are all three of these nations that they believe brute force will solve international problems. Although the author's purpose is to state the facts on the current situation, he only highlights military problems and fails to adhere to ethical conflicts. The tension will continue to rise over the next couple of weeks as many nations await a possible nuclear threat.

Algae Bloom in Florida Leads to Record Manatee Deaths

Clearly presenting the death of manatees as an important issue, author Michael Wines opens with a sentence using diction such as “endangered”, “unexplained string of deaths”, “died”, and “toxic”. He backs up his statement concluding the sentence with “states officials and wildlife experts say”. Right from the beginning, Wines presents the death of manatees a serious and urgent issue. Wines continues his article with the number of deaths in comparison to the whole population of the manatees off of Florida’s coast, illustrating the small population and the significant amount of deaths. Wines then moves on to talk about the toxic algae that affects not only a “wide range of aquatic animals” but also humans. He discusses a nerve poison called bervetoxin which is found in the algae and has caused the death of many animals. Wines makes his article credible by including quotations from Dr. Martine DeWit and other wildlife experts.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/science/earth/algae-bloom-in-florida-kills-record-number-of-manatees.html?ref=todayspaper

Tennessee Girl Suspended from School 24 times for Foul Odor

In the United States, children are constantly being sent home from school for cheating on tests, refusing to do homework, and getting into fights, but in Tennessee a second grader is getting sent home because of her smell. Apparently the student, whose name has yet to be identified, is sent home at least once a month because of her “foul odor.” The article states that “other students and teachers at the school have complained of the smell, saying they are unable to focus on school activities.” The author makes the point that schools are allowed to send home students if proper hygiene is not observed. It seems that these school officials take the matter seriously and that this girl does really smell horrible. Krystal Hensley, the mother of the smelly second grader, said that her daughter has been to the doctor and that it is not a medical problem. Her responses to questions seem strange, however, and she is quoted as saying that children are sent to school to learn and not to be sent home; she apparently fails to realize that her daughter has a serious problem that she is neglecting. The article does not sympathize with the mother or the school but simply delivers the facts. Although the author does not comment on the mother’s behavior and choices, it does suggest a problem as the mother said her daughter never knows when she has last had a bath. Either the girl has a serious disease or the mother is just not taking care of her daughter. A video connected with the article that showed interviews with the mother gives the impression that perhaps the mother was paying no attention to her daughter.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/03/tennessee-girl-suspended-from-school-24-times-for-foul-odor/

Cicada brood to make return this spring in Southern Maryland

Author Scott Dance includes a variety of pictures as well as an audio clip as he discusses the reappearance of the infamous 17-year cicada. The last time Maryland experienced the cicadas' reign of terror, and it seems as though most of Maryland will avoid it this year. In the year 1996, another species of cicada invaded the southern part of Maryland and are due to return again this year. However, scientists are studying and observing the migration patterns of the cicadas, closely watching to see if "climate fluctuations [have] thrown off their scheduled emergences."Entomologists have studied the patterns of when cicadas emerge, allowing them to create a geographical map color coordinated with a key explaining when each specie is scheduled to make an appearance next. After describing the life cycle in great detail, Dance explains that the cicadas should start hatching in mid-May. 

Source: http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2013/04/cicada-brood-to-make-return-this-spring-in-southern-maryland/#1

Johns Hopkins dean calls Ben Carson’s words ‘offensive,’ Carson apologizes

On Friday, Johns Hopkins met with serval students regarding the removal of Ben Carson as the commencement speaker for graduation. Although Carson apologized, the school believes his comments were still "offensive" since he compared gay marriage to "bestiality and pedophilia." Dr. Paul Rothman, the dean of medical faculty at Johns Hopkins, believed Carson was exercising Johns Hopkins' belief in free speak despite his "hurtful" and "offending" language. This article transitions from Dr. Rothman's statements to Carson's comments from his apology letter. However, Carson believes his words were taken out of context. Despite this, many students on the Johns Hopkins campus have written a petition to remove Carson from the commencement speech. Interestingly, this article ends with a completely different topic regarding Carson retiring from his medical career and possibly running for President in 2016. 

Aaron Blake, author of this article, fills it with many direct statements from both Ben Carson and Dr. Rothman. These quotations include Dr. Rothman's statement about Ben Carson's comments on gay marriage as well as Carson's statements from his apology letter and interviews. 

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/05/johns-hopkins-dean-calls-ben-carsons-words-offensive/?hpid=z3

In Connecticut, New Firearms Limits Faced Uphill Fight

By Peter Applebome

This article is referring the the recent obsession or controversy over gun control with civilians. After the massacre in Connecticut, countless numbers of people have considered changing the freedom of owning a gun in our country today. While this rule where we have the ability to own a gun is very rare, there have been many instances that have swayed much of the population towards restricting such freedom. And in Connecticut, where the massacre occurred, legislation has been passed this past week restricting much gun ownership. But "while Connecticut is a relatively small state and more liberal-leaning than most, the wrenching debate here was intently followed far beyond its borders" therefore, just because Connecticut is small compared to larger states like New York, California, or Florida - this could start a pattern because it has placed an idea in the brains of many Americans. But controversy is still in order which the author makes clear because while many are fighting against the ownership of guns, many are fighting for them since it has been a right of civilians since the country wrote down its laws in the first place. The author does a great job giving both sides of the controversy with many examples and quotations from important leaders who have a big part in the matter. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/06/nyregion/even-in-shadow-of-massacre-connecticuts-gun-law-faced-uphill-fight.html?hp&_r=0

New grads are making less

This article, by Aimee Picchi, discusses the discovery that recent college graduates today are making less money than college graduates several years ago. Picchi begins the article with the commonly held belief that the job market is eager for new college graduates. However, she refutes this claim and says that more and more graduates now are finding it to be difficult to secure a job. She uses logos to explain just how much lower hourly wages are today: they are down 8.5% since 2000, which means that they are making an average of about $3200 less per year than college graduates a decade ago. Picchi continues to use logos when she includes a quotation from an economist who attributes this decline in wages to 2 recessions that have hit the US economy since 2000. The economist also compares the grave state of today's economy to the economy of 15 years ago: "Wages rose 19.1% for young college graduates [from 1995 to 2000]." Picchi uses more facts to explain the severity of the issue: college tuition and fees have nearly doubled in the past 10 years.  Picchi explains that "If you graduated in the 21st century...You likely paid more to earn less." The US also employs 70% more young graduates in minimum wage jobs than it did only one decade ago. Picchi explains that an average young college graduate earned about $34,500 per year, and, to make matters worse, the average US student loan debt was higher than $27,000 last year. Therefore, Picchi's ominous tone and inclusion of many facts helps to emphasize that college graduates are unable to find adequate jobs and are therefore underpaid and will inevitably struggle while trying to pain off loans and establish their own life in the real world.

Link to article: http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=2b1fc53d-42fd-43ca-8f7b-2bb2d013ffc4

Skewed look at college entry is price of "Admission"

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/26/opinion/mills-college-admissions/index.html?hpt=op_mid

In the article, Nicholaus Mills argues that the new movie, Admission,  Shows admissions officers and the admissions process in a bad light. However, his argument is jumbled and disorganized as her never actually states what he's trying to prove and his opinions continually fluctuate like he hasn't even made up his own mind yet. At first he criticizes the moving, saying ''admissions officers are a lot smarter than "Admission" suggests.'' because most of them are able to identify promising, ''diamond in the rough'' students who might otherwise be disregarded. Then in the next sentence, he contradicts his previous argument by agreeing with the movie in that colleges don't fairly choose applicants because ''At the country's most selective colleges and universities, only 3 percent of the students come from the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder''. The author goes against his previous opinion, creating an equivocal argument that lacks direction or purpose. The authors attempts to use logos and ethos to strengthen his argument, but fails because he does not use them effectively. He tries to use logos by identifying the ratio of guidance counselors to students as 460:1; however this piece of data is not relevant to his original topic at all so it doesn't help his argument. He also attempts to used this by identifying himself as an admissions officer, a former Harvard graduate, and a literature professor. However he loses his credibility as he makes several grammar mistakes despite being an ivy-educated literature professor. For example he describes the movie saying,"What had me squirming was the focus of "Admission," Portia's efforts to get into Princeton Jeremiah Balakian, a brilliant student, who was a screwup at his local New Hampshire high school but who has found himself at Quest, a nearby progressive, prep school." the awkward sentence structure and lack of correctly placed punctuation take away his credibility as an English teacher. I think the problem with this article was its complete lack of focus. The author seems to prattle on about nothing, jumping quickly from one topic to the next without ever really delving in. I also think it is a little ridiculous that he's examining a romantic comedy like some critical satire of today's society.

Teacher/ Student Relationship

The Journalist of this article discusses the facts of the elite Miss Porter's private high school's, in Farmington Connecticut, arresting of former  teacher and coach Prem Rajkumar. Police said he has been arrested for multiple sexual assaults involving a student such as two counts of second degree assault and one count of fourth degree sexual assault. In Connecticut it is illegal to have sex with a student. He remains behind bars and has a $500,000 bond. Police are not revealing anymore details to protect the student's identity and reputation. The author is very vague with details because he is unable to get all of the information needed. Therefore, he can only tell us that the investigation is still ongoing. He uses logos throughout the article and a little ethos while describing the former teacher; he tells us that he use to be a former track and field coach for the school as well as a science teacher.