College Degree and professional experience in Job Hunt doesn't close racial gap

Monday, the New York Times posted a piece that uncovered the difficulty African Americans have in finding work; additionally strong credentials of academic and professional backgrounds have failed to close gaps between Blacks and Caucasians.

Interestingly, the story did not necessarily have to move past racial stereotypes because it was about them, and the ways in which some black professionals have altered their resumes to purge any hint of race that might be in them.

The piece began with a short profile: "Johnny R. Williams, 30, would appear to be an unlikely person to have to fret about the impact of race on his job search, with companies like JPMorgan Chase and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago on his résumé."

“If they’re going to X me,” Mr. Williams said, “I’d like to at least get in the door first.”

Williams has deleted his membership of the African-American student business association among other things.

The Times justified the claims of William and the stories of others that noted failed business relationships after executives met black individuals about jobs by noting the differences in unemployment rates of the races. "The unemployment rate for black male college graduates 25 and older in 2009 has been nearly twice that of white male college graduates — 8.4 percent compared with 4.4 percent."

The statistic provides concrete evidence with the contextual claims made by the individuals within the articles, therefore strengthening the argument and couching personal stories within concrete fact.

The TImes traveled across the country to gather interviews, and reported, "The discrimination is rarely overt, according to interviews with more than two dozen college-educated black job seekers around the country, many of them out of work for months. Instead, those interviewed told subtler stories, referring to surprised looks and offhand comments, interviews that fell apart almost as soon as they began, and the sudden loss of interest from companies after meetings."

Because the piece focuses on uncovering what still might be a prominent issue of race in our country, it doesn't have to dance around the issue of whether a person is white of black. Because it's focal to the issue, it's also focal within the article. It acknowledges the stereotypes within the people who were interviewed, but additionally fails to provide much insight from the other side of the argument--the white professionals to blame.

By no means am I condoning the factual evidence of these issues, but it does seem a bit of a one sided argument. Further, it juxtaposes the great lengths the country went in electing our current President, but calls out a failure of the rest of the nation to follow suit. At least it seems to question the situation in this way.

The individuals interviewed also have their own worries about race.

According to the Times, It is difficult to overstate the degree that they say race permeates nearly every aspect of their job searches, from how early they show up to interviews to the kinds of anecdotes they try to come up with.

“You want to be a nonthreatening, professional black guy,” said Winston Bell, 40, of Cleveland, who has been looking for a job in business development.

He drew an analogy to several prominent black sports broadcasters. “You don’t want to be Stephen A. Smith. You want to be Bryant Gumbel. You don’t even want to be Stuart Scott. You don’t want to be, ‘Booyah.’ ”

Nearly all said they agonized over job applications that asked them whether they would like to identify their race. Most said they usually did not.

Job Report Stronger

Friday, the New York Times published the latest job report as being, "...The strongest jobs report since the recession began two years ago, the nation’s employers all but stopped shedding jobs in November, the government reported on Friday, and they appeared to be on the verge of finally rebuilding the work force."

But who knows if this surge is the result of the Holiday Hire?

The Wall Street Journal also reported the news: Employers shed only 11,000 net jobs while the unemployment rate fell from 10.2 percent to 10.0 percent.

According to the times, the surge was sudden news to even the most optimistic forecasters for the economy. Additionally the paper noted that "The Obama administration was quick to take credit for the improvement, asserting that the $787 billion stimulus package had thus far either saved or created a total of 1.6 million jobs."

The Wall Street Journal proved more cautious, writing, "However, this turnaround may proceed at a much slower pace than previous recoveries. Job losses in this downturn are the result of a sharp drop in private-sector job creation. Reduced private-sector investment--rather than an increase in layoffs--is the primary engine driving higher unemployment. Yet the Obama Administration has done little to address this problem, focusing instead on increasing government spending rather than encouraging entrepreneurial activity. In a telling example of the White House's approach toward employment, yesterday's job summit excluded groups that represent job creators like the Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses."

The Journal continued to note that the increase could simply be due to the fact that many individuals are simply giving up. Leaving the workforce, and pausing in their searches. Though the majority of those leaving the workforce were teenagers, with 62,000, still, about 70,000 men age 20 and over left the labor force, but 35,000 women of the same age entered the labor force.

The journal concluded, "Since teenagers are far more likely to be unemployed, this helped reduce the unemployment rate. It is likely that the unemployment rate will climb once potential workers reenter the labor force."

U.S. draws favorable bid for World Cup in June

The New York Times reported Friday that the United States will play England in their first game of the World Cup in South Africa in June.

The Americans are expected to advance after their first game; it would reportedly be a disappointment should they not.

However, it may not be smooth sailing. According to the time, "If the Americans advance, as expected, they will face a difficult second-round matchup against an emerging team from a group that includes powerhouse Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana."

The Miami Herald also commented on the draw, noting the auspicious start by quoting the team's coach: "Great way to start, big challenge, but when you come to World Cup and chance to kick it off against opponent like England, that's a great start," Coach Bob Bradley said on ESPN upon hearing the news."

According to the Herald, more than 200 million fans worldwide were expected to tune into Friday's World Cup draw from Cape Town.

The Times continued their piece by noting the American team's history at past cups, which has not been favorable in the last several years.

England is also preparing for the match up. Of this, their team's manager, Fabio Capello said to the Times, "I think it will be not an easy game. Another thing important, the U.S.A. will have more time to prepare for the World Cup. They will be staying together. It’s very important the first game. The U.S.A. knows, we know, if you win the first game, it’s easier to play the other games.”

Oil Pipline leaks 210,000 gallons near Central Minnesota

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune Friday reported both state and national crews are working to clean up the enormous spill of crude oil across the state.

There spill was discovered around 6:30 a.m. and came from a 16 inch pipeline in a wooded area that connects a pumping station with the Flint Hills refinery in Rosemount.

"There's no indication the oil has reached any nearby waterways, said Kristine Chapin, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety for the Star Tribune.

Local outlet Kare 11 also reported on the disaster with a graphic that depicted the Twin Cities in relation to the spill.

According to MPCA information officer Steve Mikkelson says the area of the spill is about 20 by 40 feet, and the pipe has been shut down.

Kare 11 also reported that any salvageable oil will be filtered back into the pipeline as it is picked up.

Industrialized Nations Unveil Plans to Rein in Emissions

Thursday, the New York Times published a piece that discussed the ways, and more specifically, the percentage that specific nations aim to reduce emissions in response to climate change.

The discussions will take place among the world's leaders who will meet in Copenhagen, Germany Dec. 7-18.

The piece goes on to discuss how individual countries--the United States, Korea and so forth will go about making these reductions; it also lists the percentages that these nations will reduce their emissions by: 17, 30 percent etc.

The trouble, is that the author of the piece doesn't really place these numbers in context. Thirty percent is a fairly large number, but how does Korea's 30 percent compare to other countries?

To illustrate in further detail, here is a quote: "This week, South Korea said it would cut emissions by 30 percent from “business as usual” by 2020. Russia’s president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said his country would try to reduce emissions by 25 percent by then, instead of 15 percent as announced earlier. Last week, Brazil promised reductions of about 40 percent below current projections by 2020."

So I have a laundry list that sounds good; helping the earth, reducing greenhouse emissions, but supplementary context should really be used if the reporter really wants these numbers to mean something to his readers.

Additionally, the paper fails to report how they came up with the numbers. While the piece does quote the number given by each country, the reader has no idea how these readers were computed, and whether they are really reliable.

Son objects to moving Camus' remains

According to the New York Times on Sunday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to transfer the remains of the writer Albert Camus to one of the most hallowed burial places in France, "but the plan has run into opposition from the Nobel laureate’s son, who does not think his father would have wanted the honor."

New Outlet telegraph.co.uk has also picked up the story, notes the story is a blow to the French President who already has rocky relation's with the country's "literary elite."

The honor was intended to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Camus, author of The Stranger. Camus died in a car crash on January 1960 just south of Paris along with his publisher.

According to the Times, "Camus’s son, Jean, says interring his father’s remains at the Panthéon, the Paris monument to some of the great men and women of France, would be contrary to his father’s wishes and does not want to have his legacy put to work in the service of the state, Le Monde quoted an unidentified intimate of Mr. Camus’s as saying."

His daughter, however, manages his estate and plans to give approval for the plan to move the remains.

Though the decision is not final, the President has reportedly been in touch with the family to go on with his proposal.

Man drives car into local physician's office

On Friday, local station WCCO reported that a man who drove his truck into a university building was actually aiming for a Minneapolis FBI building.

According to WCCO, the driver, James Kromer, 36, "told police he was angry about a "computer type device" that was located inside the building and was sending signals to his head and read his thoughts, according to the complaint."

The Star Tribune also covered the story, reporting Kromer smashed his 1996 Dodge pickup truck into the three-story glass atrium of a building belonging to Physicians & Surgeons Capital Corp. at 1100 Washington Av. S. about 6 p.m. Thursday.

The damage to the building reportedly exceeds $20,000.

According to the Star Tribune, Kromer has a history of drug and drinking-related criminal offenses, and his mental health is currently being evaluated.

Oprah announces the end of her talkshow

On Thursday, the New York Times and media outlets across the country reported network mogul Oprah Winfrey will end her talk show, Oprah, in 2011 to reportedly try her had at a cable station of her own.

CNN also confirmed the report on Thursday, noting, "Winfrey's show has often been that national voice. When she covered the topic of mad cow disease, the nation's dairy farmers watched sales plummet; when she selected James Frey as an author to watch and later admonished him, the nation went right along with her."

The network will be named after her, Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN.

According to the times, the show will end with the completion of Oprah's 25th season on air, but the talk show will likely move to her new network.

The times also reported, "In a statement, CBS Television Distribution said, '“We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterwards as well.”'

Both pieces went on to venerate the "passion" and "invigoration" of Oprah's work within the United States and elsewhere, mentioning her success and philanthropic spirit.

Investigative Journalists in Puerto Rico uncover lapse in inspections and the government's blind eye

Friday, the IRE posted the collaborative story of a freelance journalist in Puerto Rico, and .

The journalists, Mc Nelly Torress, and Omaya Sosa Pascual, of El Centro Periodistico Investigativo de Puerto Rico, uncovered and reported "decades of environmental violations, financial distress and neglect behind the company that owns the refinery where the Oct. 23 deadly explosion took place in Puerto Rico" According to the IRE website, the stories, a collaboration between journalists in Miami and Puerto Rico were written in Spanish and English and published in El Nuevo Herald and the Miami Herald.

Both the Spanish and English translations exhibit heavy reporting done by the authors of the piece.

The story begins: "For years, federal regulators have cited Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) multiple times for serious environmental violations and levied $1.3 million in penalties and fines for discharging hazardous waste to water, air and soil, showing disregard for residents’ health and safety.

Yet local and federal government agencies have allowed the company to operate interrupted for more than 50 years and have not been diligent in oversight to guarantee a safe operation, an investigation has found. Government’s carelessness includes no federal occupational safety inspections in almost a decade and failing to establish an emergency plan for disasters with the communities as required by law.

The facility at the Luchetti Industrial Park in Bayamon, where an explosion 14 days ago produced a toxic fire that took firefighters over two days to extinguish, and caused fuel leakages into neighboring waterways, had not been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration since 2000."

So if we examine these first few graphs, the reportage is quite evident. Specifically in the last few sentences, we see the reported would have gone through the public files of the country's Occupational Safety and Health Administration; finding evidence to support their case, the reporters then note a lapse in the inspection system since 2000. This lapse, is evidence of the suspected flaw mentioned in the first part of the paragraphs above.

In order to make such heavy claims on their local government, the two reporters must have ensured their facts were not only correct, but warranted such a grave uncovering in the aftermath of penalties. The reporters seem to point the cause of the toxic fire two weeks ago to the neglect of the inspection agency.

These reports would have required the skills to navigate heavy indexes that denote company files as well as official records of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. In addition to indexes, they would have had to navigate large search engines and been able to utilize specific Boolean logic to point them toward the documents they were looking to find. Certainly they would not have read through every document put out by the agency between 2000 and 2009.

New Law prevents misuse of genetic information

Sunday, the New York Times reported a new law was the most important anti-discrimination law in the last two decades. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will go into effect next week.

According to the TImes the law will be, "prohibiting employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions."

But perhaps of higher interest during these heated times of health care debate is another piece: "The act also prohibits health insurers and group plans from requiring such testing or using genetic information — like a family history of heart disease — to deny coverage or set premiums or deductibles."

Reuters also reported on the new GINA law.

According to the news outlet, Former President Bush signed GINA into law in May 2008.

Under GINA, companies are prohibited from using genetic information in employment decisions, and from intentionally acquiring genetic information. When in possession of genetic information, employers must adhere to strict requirements and store the data in separate health-related files.

Nina Slattery, division manager of GovDocs, spoke with Reuters. "With each generation, labor law evolves to meet new challenges, in this case,innovations in science and health care. When it comes to hiring practices, guidelines for dismissal, or terms and conditions of employment, employers and the workforce now have a clear direction on their rights and responsibilities."

Obama visits China

Sunday, the Associated Press reported the President's first visit to China.

According to the New York Times, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be discussing, various issues, "including North Korea, terrorism, the environment, human rights and the fragile state of the global economy."

The two and their advisors will remain in Beijing for three days.

According to AP, who is updating by the minute, "Obama arrived in Shanghai late at night, in a driving rain, hustling through a phalanx of umbrella-holding dignitaries to reach his limousine. On Monday, the president is holding talks with local politicians and, in one of the marquee events of his weeklong Asian trip, conducting an American-style town hall discussion with Chinese university students."

The New York Times reported that the President will have his first glimpse into a country whose economy is likely to grow by about8 percent, by far the best performing major economy, accounting for much of the world’s economic growth this year. The country’s real estate and stock markets are once again booming, and hot initial public stock offerings are luring frenzied investors to play in the financial markets.

But China's exports have suffered from a slow down of more than 20%, when a year ago the country was garnering a huge trade surplus when compared to the rest of the world.

Stub and Herbs fails police sting four times in five months

Wednesday the Minnesota Daily published a story reporting local bar and eatery Stub and Herbs had failed a compliance check for the fourth time in five months and was facing large fines and mandatory stipulations by the city of Minneapolis.

After attending a mandatory hearing by the city on Friday, the Star Tribune reported the reprimands by the city.

in addition to posting signs about the company's alcohol policy, Stub and Herbs will pay $6,500 in fines and must close three separate days before the end of the year.

According to the Daily the sting happened during the third football game this year; the new stadium is located several blocks from the restaurant.

But the Star Tribune also reported that the sting doesn't appear to have hurt business: "At the bar Friday, happy hour was bustling. Tony Thomas, 39, was joined by a friend who had been a patron since the 1970s. Thomas wondered whether bartenders who served underage customers made mistakes because the bar was busy. The violations won't stop him from coming to the bar, he said, but he might have some concerns if minors were served six months from now."

Another patron said he would still be celebrating his birthday there this weekend.

Difficulty in prosecution for Jessop trial

Tuesday, the New York TImes reported the difficulties in the trial of an alleged statutory rapist from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The TImes reported, "A year and a half after the state authorities raided a fundamentalist Mormon ranch here, the first of a half-dozen leaders of the sect has gone on trial on charges that he had sex with an under-age girl who state officials assert was one of several wives assigned to him by church elders."

The problem is that the case fundamentally lies on the evidence of DNA samples from both the girl and Jessop, rather than testimony of the actual girl involved in the case.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday the case rests on allegations that the girl, now 21, was married to Jessop at age 15 and gave birth at 16. "Church records that defense attorneys are fighting to keep out of the trial indicate the girl had previously been married to Jessop's brother before being reassigned to Jessop, who authorities allege has nine wives."

Forensic expert Amy Smuts had testified Monday that the probability of Jessop being the father of the alleged victim's daughter was 99.999998 percent.

The case is also using documents from the countless that were seized when the state raided the Yearning for Zion Ranch--the home of the group in El Dorado, Texas--last year.

According to the Times Jessop faces at least 20 years in prison if he is convicted.

Lester Meyer, 92

Wednesday, the St. Cloud Times published the obituary of Lester Meyer.

Interestingly enough, the information is out of order from the traditional form of an obituary. While the individual is listed in the lead, his cause of death is mentioned and the funeral Mass and visitation schedule is listed immediately.

Following this information, the obit goes on to discuss Meyer's life: his marriage, his active membership in his home parish, and his involvement with local Knights of Columbus.

Though not quoted, family member have obviously been contacted to write this obituary. It is easy to deduce this from a paragraph toward the end:

"Over the years Lester farmed, worked in sales and was an entrepreneur.
Lester was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He loved to visit, tell stories and go for rides in the car. His family is grateful to him for allowing his story telling to live on through the various tapes of his life story that he made for his children."

Then, the piece goes on to list is precedents and survivors.

Though full of practical information and quite succinct, this obituary does the job of remembering this active member of the community.

Rybak secures third term in Tuesday's election

Both the Star Tribune and the Minnesota Daily were apt to report Tuesday's election result: the popular Minneapolis mayor will serve the city on a third term.

The Daily reported that Minneapolis's new system of instant run off voting pitted Rybak against 10 individuals, only one of which was endorsed by a major party.

According to the Star Tribune, "Rybak got almost three times more first-choice votes than his 10 challengers combined."

Rybak received more than 70 percent of the votes; his nearest rival only ten.


However, voter turnout, overall was low.

The Daily reported that Rybak spokesman Jeremy Hanson said the mayoral race lacked major competition, which likely contributed to the low turnout.

“You have to remind people that they still have to go vote,” Hanson said, adding Rybak can’t just float into the position for another term just because he’s well liked.

Voters also soundly rejected a charter proposal to revamp the BET by shifting its financial powers to the City Counci, reported the Star Tribune. Supporters of the the proposal said it would have increased accountability for taxing decisions.

China approves Disney theme park

Tuesday the New York TImes reported that the construction of a new Disney theme park has been approved in Shanghai.

The L.A. times reported the approval was a, "major milestone in the more than decade-long effort by Walt Disney Co. to dramatically expand its reach into China."

The New York Times disputes this number, noting the bid was nearly two decades long.

The park, which is to be Disney's fourth outside the United States will cost$3.59-billion park and open as early as 2014.

The L.A. Times noted the importance of China as a location for Disney: "China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for the Walt Disney Co. in mainland China," Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said in a statement."

Not to mention the park would give access to 300 million people who live in the area and more who would travel to see the park itself.

The park is to hold a mix of shopping areas, hotels and a Magic Kingdom-style theme park, and will stretch across 1,000 acres of the city’s Pudong district — with the theme park occupying about 100 of those acres. It would be a little bigger than Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and on par with the parks in Paris and Tokyo.

Both reports note that the plans must now be approved by the government, which could be an even longer battle and bigger feat.

"Women in their own words."

The New York Times published a slideshow detailing quotes from eight women interviewed about their tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each slide portrayed a photograph of the woman on duty and her quote. The script on the side described that individual woman's position in the military, her time and duration on tour, and the largest cause for her PTSD.

While the quotes in themselves are powerful, I am not sure the layout of the show was entirely effective. To utilize these quotes only in a slideshow when they are so powerful on their own, seems almost a sensory overload. The Times would have been better standing alone with a attribution and photo. The background information on the speakers merely complicates the quote, which is the largest focus of the show.

In this case, less would be more. Placing a photo next to the quote and leaving out the back story might be more effective because we, as readers, are always trying to draw conclusions and connections between characters and text in a story. It's natural for us to do so, and would probably engage us to think more clearly about the powerful and pertinent focus that this particular slideshow really entails. With the background information, I get stuck swimming around in it and forget to focus on the theme and intent of the story itself.

Search for individuals missing in crash turns to recovery effort in San Diego

Sunday the New York TImes reported that a search for military victims of a coast guard crash has now turned into a recovery mission for both pieces of the craft and for the individuals missing.

According to the AFP, the nine missing airmen crashed mid-air; the collision happened Thursday between a Marine Corps helicopter and a coast guard plane and ended in fiery heat.

""We no longer believe there is any chance anybody could be alive. We are moving into a salvage, recovery and investigative phase," said Coast Guard Rear Admiral Joseph Castillo for the AFP Sunday. "The wreckage of the C-130 and the Cobra helicopter were found on Saturday, but no signs of crash victims. A Pentagon spokesman on Friday said it was "likely" the missing airmen had all perished," reported the AFP.

The names of the victims were released Saturday. According to the Times they are: The Coast Guard plane’s commander, Lt. Cmdr. Che Barnes, 35, is from Capay, Calif., and his co-pilot, Lt. Adam Bryant, 28, is from Crewe, Va. Also on the plane were Chief Petty Officer John Seidman, 43, of Carmichael, Calif., a flight engineer; Petty Officer Second Class Carl P. Grigonis, 35, of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, a navigator; Petty Officer Second Class Monica L. Beacham, 29, of Decaturville, Tenn., a radio operator; Petty Officer Second Class Jason S. Moletzsky, 26, of Norristown, Pa; and Petty Officer Third Class Danny R. Kreder II, 22, of Elm Mott, Tex.

The crew members aboard the Marine helicopter were Maj. Samuel Leigh, 35, of Belgrade, Me., and First Lt. Thomas Claiborne, 26, of Douglas, Colo.

Vikings defeat Packers

Sunday, the Star Tribune reported the Viking's win over the Packers on Sunday afternoon.

While the spin on all sides was, of course, the fact that Brett Favre was facing his former team on the field today, the fact that the coverage at the Star Tribune as well as the Pioneer Press, emphasizes the new expectations for news that has happened with the Internet. Within minutes of the game, stories had already been posted online, which only emphasizes the demand for convenient news.

This news, naturally was the Viking's 38-26 win over Green Bay.

An entrance to booing fans greeted Favre. The Star Tribune reported, "Despite being jeered repeatedly by Packers fans who once cheered his every move, Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns without an interception." The piece continues to focus on Favre's performance.

Contrastingly, though the Pioneer Press includes the quarterback in its headline, the lead rallies around the team's entire effort by noting that Favre's four touchdown passes could not have happened without the entire effort of the Vikings as a whole.

Both pieces then offer the highlights and the low lights of the game's four quarters.

Children Salute Cars in China

Monday, the New York Times reported a new mandate in China that schoolchildren must wave or salute to passing cars during their commute to and from school.

The idea is to make drivers more aware of children in the road, and as one commenter put it, act as speed bumps. The hope is that drivers will slow down when children stop to wave a hand in the air.

The story has been picked up by various bloggers, either making jest or criticism of the Time's story. But its reliability has been confirmed by the China Car Times outlet that quotes another Chinese media source, However, the story's report of unconventional traffic control is creating a buzz on google and will likely travel through the rest of the media before quieting itself.

In China, the times reports, there haven't been any traffic accidents in the region where children must salute, but there are a number of criticisms from Chinese citizens. The times writes: "Critics, who have posted thousands of negative comments about the policy on China’s electronic bulletin boards, beg to differ. “This is just pitiful,” wrote one in a post last year. Only inept officials would burden children with such a requirement rather than install speed bumps, others insisted."

The times uses the rest of the story as a springboard for further discussion of China's past unconventional edicts, and point to other regulatory and organizational problems of small towns and communities across China.

Pawlenty kills plasma television use for sex offenders

WCCO reported Tuesday after the governor got wind of two dozen new 50 inch plasma televisions were being set up at a sex offender treatment facility, he demanded they be taken down and sold.

But I can't decide whether the governor's mandate for the TVs which individually cost $2,282 or his use of the term "bonehead" has been more widely reported.

Every major news outlet, including some national outlets (including the Associated Press) have caught wind of the word and included the governor's direct quote in their reporting.

The Star Tribune contributed Pawlenty's quote, and some major facts about the value of the big screens: ""We don't micromanage our agencies at the level of every little item that they purchase or use, but in this case we are going to micromanage it," Pawlenty said, outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul this morning. "I think it was a boneheaded decision for them to buy these flat-screen TVs at the Moose Lake facility. I'm asking my administration today to remove the televisions and to sell them. "If they need to have televisions in common areas they can have smaller, simpler, fewer or cheaper ones. They don't need 50-inch flat-screen plasma televisions for sex offenders. So, clearly somebody just made a boneheaded decision and I'm going to reverse it."

While applause is centered on the governor's decision, already his name calling is being mocked in outlets including the blogs at the Kansas City Star.

While the governor's decision was sound, perhaps his choice in rhetoric needs some fine tuning.

Artist lifts opera costumes to new levels at Lincoln Center

This week, the New York Times posted a slideshow detailing the work of artist E.V. Day, who was commissioned to erect an installment in the atrium of Lincoln Center for the new opera season beginning in November.

The show chronicles Day's work in fishline and the tapestries of age-old opera costumes.

The New York City opera both commissioned and led her to the opera's costume building that houses the artwork of countless seamstresses. Choosing carefully, Day selected 13 costumes to bring to life. She created sculptures with thousands of pinpricks strung with fishline, strung the costumes to appear with a life of their own, and then strung them from the ceiling of the countless balconies of the auditorium.

The show is set to be fully installed November 6th and will remain at Lincoln Center through both the Opera season and the year.

Like most art, it is extremely difficult to discuss without even a visual representation of the piece. That said, the Times' slideshow is extremely effective in both commenting on the artist's process with both visual and verbal representation. The write of the show included essential quotes that get at the breadth and depth of the story as well as illustrate the humanity of the artist, her costumes, and those working with the opera.

Pope Benedict XVI announces unhappy Anglicans are welcome to join Catholic Church

Tuesday, the Pope announced a plan to allow disenchanted Anglicans to practice in the Catholic church according to the New York Times.

While the notice appears to be a sign of cooperation between the two churches, Time Magazine seems to write the contrary.

The magazine also published the announcement stating, "the Vatican's establishment of new "Personal Ordinariates," in which Anglicans, including married priests, can practice Catholicism while maintaining much of their own identity and liturgy, reveals more about the growing internal rifts within each of the two churches than any sign of real hope for reuniting the fractured Christian communion."

And, according to the New York Times, many leaders in both sects of Christianity have reportedly expressed surprised by the news. many of these leaders reportedly believe such moves by the Church will stifle dialogue and conversation between the current changes in the Anglican church, stating the change would "undermine efforts at ecumenical dialogue and capitalize on deep divisions within the Anglican Church over issues like the ordination of gay bishops and blessing same-sex unions."

The Times reports that the move may indicate the Catholic church desires conversion rather than common ground and understanding between the two Christian faiths.

The New York Times reports the move might more heavily impact England; Time reports the number of practicing American Episcopalians as 2.2 million. There are 80 million Anglican believers worldwide.

Los Angeles approves $1.13 billion for airport rennovations

Despite the current downfall in airport traffic, the New York Times reported Monday that an airport panel had voted to approve $1.13 billion in funding to rennovate the Los Angeles International Airport.

The L.A. Times posted a concurrent piece stating that, "By early next year, travelers can expect to see construction on two new concourses and gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial airliners."

The L.A. Times also reported the board approved $140 million in contingency funds for the project and approved the sale of more than $1.6 billion in revenue bonds to pay for construction and to refinance existing debt.

The board is calling the approval a huge step forward.

The New York Times reported city officials are backing the decision by awarding several contracts for the overhaul, and also reported, "The project — which will be financed with bonds, not federal stimulus money — will be the first significant renovation of the airport’s international terminal in more than 25 years."

Most major airlines went through renovations in the 1990s or early 2000s. The intention for the Los Angeles airport is to modernize many of the airport's facilities that haven't been upgraded since the city's preparation to host the 1984 Olympics.

According to the L.A. Times, "The so-called Bradley West project also calls for nine new gates that will handle the latest in large commercial airliners, such the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the giant Airbus A380, which can be configured to carry more than 800 passengers."

The city council is reportedly on board for the project, but the projects will be voted on within the next week.

Governor Pawlenty chimes in on health care reform for Minnesota

According to a press conference and a press release Tuesday from the office of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Minnesotans "would be first in the nation to be able to purchase health insurance across state lines under an initiative proposed by the governor."

The press release clearly outlines the steps of the governors plans, and the website also provides a link to listen to the press conference directly.

Bullet points and bold font separate the proposals of the governor, which include:

• Allow Minnesotans to Purchase Health Insurance from Other States
• Require MinnesotaCare & Medical Assistance to Price Health Care Services Based on Quality and Cost
• Include Consumer-Driven Incentives in MinnesotaCare

After the introduction of the points, the release clearly maps more details in its body.

According to Pawlenty's release, "Minnesota continues to lead the nation in the performance of our health care system, as recognized most recently by the Commonwealth Fund’s state scorecard. In their 2009 scrutiny of access, quality, costs, healthy lives, and equity, Minnesota moved ahead of states such as Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut from 9th place to 4th place overall. We should continue to take action to keep Minnesota on the leading edge of health care policy innovation."

That said, CNN also published a piece on Pawlenty's latest initiative in its "political tracker" portion of its website. Tuesday, the outlet reported the facts of the initiative, but chose to spin the story toward the Minnesotan figure aiming for national limelight. Pawlenty is reportedly contemplating a Republican bid for the White House in 2012.

The shorter, more summarized version on CNN clearly mentions the governor's three pronged proposal, but keeps its information to smaller quotes and catchier phrases of the governor's.

Clearly, what is released by the governor's press team and website is aimed at a localized audience of Minnesotans, interested in the details of a proposal that could easily affect them. CNN, on the other hand, has another initiative: to keep covering individuals who could clearly and likely creep up for larger, more prominent purposes in the future.

Egypt demands return of "stolen" artifacts

A 3,300-year-old limestone and stucco bust of Queen Nefertiti, a wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, has reportedly been requested to return home to Egypt for the first time since 1913.

Sunday, the New York Times reported the statue, that has existed in Berlin since the early 20th century, has demands for its return.

According to the times, "The Egyptian antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, told the German media over the past few days that Nefertiti belonged to his country."

Officials are convinced the statue left the country illegally, and say they believe she should be returned to her rightful place.

It was the first time that Egypt had made an official request to Germany for the statue to be returned if it was found to have been illegally removed from Egypt.

But this is not an isolated request for illegally accumulated artifacts.

Earlier this month on October 7th, the United Press International also reported Egyptian demands for artifacts reportedly "stolen" by France's famed Louvre museum.

According to UPI, the museum purchased five murals that had been removed from the walls of an Egyptian tomb by antiquities robbers in the 1980s.

It was reported that Louvre officials agreed to return the artifacts a year ago and have not followed through on the request.

But, according to the UPI, until the artifacts are returned, Egypt will not participate in an antiquities exchange program with the Louvre as it does with other countries around the globe.

Colorado spacecraft a hoax

Sunday, the New York Times reported the decision of a Colorado father to release a spaceship-like helium balloon into the air and notify the authorities that his son was aboard was made two weeks before the event actuated.

“These people wanted to get some national attention, with the ultimate hope that they would end up with some form of a TV deal,” said the Larimer County undersheriff, Ernie Hudson, the Times reported.

Search warrants have been carried out on the house of Richard Heene, the boy's father, and authorities plan to press charges that include, "three felonies: conspiracy to commit a crime, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and attempt to influence a public servant. The last carries a possible prison term of six years. The charges could also include a misdemeanor, filing a false report."

The Minneapolis Star Tribune also published the story. The associated press story reported speculation about the hoax theory arose immediately after the boy was discovered hiding in the rafters of the family's garage.

The 6-year-old boy, Falcon, reportedly spoke on television about the family "doing this for a show," and subsequently got sick on two television interviews thereafter.

It has been reported that his father had pitched a reality television show to TLC, and been turned down.

According to the New York times, the parents met while enrolled at an acting school in Los Angeles. Mr. Heene had long held dual interests in scientific tinkering and television: in 2001 he produced an instructional video about turning cardboard boxes into forts for children.

Decades later, hope remains for Jacob Wetterling

Twenty years after Jacob Wetterling was abducted near his home in St. Joseph, MN on October 22, 1989, hope remains that he will someday still come home.

The St. Cloud Times, The Star Tribune, and countless local stations like Fox 9 News, have published annual stories on the disappearance of the boy.

Specifically, the Star Tribune, focused on a feature about Aaron Larson, Wetterling's best friend, and one of the only individuals with Wetterling when he was abducted in a corn field after going to a Tom Thumb convenience store for a video and candy.

Larson is now 31, and has becomes quiet and reverent when talking about the event. He mentioned that it was hard to be known as "the boy who was with Jacob Wetterling." He said that it was difficult even as he got older, knowing that he would always be labeled that way.

Fox 9 focused on Jacob's mother, Patty Wetterling, who still carries a photo of her son wherever she goes. The station quoted Wetterling about the photo: "I treasure it,” said Wetterling. “I carry him in my heart. I always carry it with me."

The St. Cloud times, decided to recount the story of the night--albeit, not as effectively as the Star Tribune's focus of Larson's personal account of the night. The times tells the story in present tense, perhaps to add urgency to the tale, but utilizes conventional news speak, rather than a more effective narrative to recount the story. The present tense renders the story ineffective, especially as the reader understands they story has happened in the past and has very little knowledge of the setting before the reporter recounts the details of a masked individual with a gun, coming out of a local corn field.

The Times briefly recounts the story and reports, "The St. Cloud Times revisited the case and talked to the people directly involved in it. Most cold cases fade from memory and the enthusiasm to solve them diminishes. But a common theme of undying hope ran through the interviews." The reporter then concludes the story with a small bow stating that the town has never let Jacob leave its heart.

While this is true--as this author writing comes from Jacob's town--the story fails to get at anything other than the simple facts of the case. It fails to investigate how this little boy's abduction still affects the town, or how the town remembers that day. That has merely been left to the local individuals who have added their own personal comments and recounts of the story below the poorly reported piece.

Human Rights Campaign hosts Obama as speaker

Saturday, the Star Tribune published a Associated Press piece on Obama's address to the Human Rights Campaign at the organizations annual dinner in Washington D.C. The dinner took place before the campaign's annual march to the nation's capital.

The piece largely focused on Obama's re-pledge of a campaign promise: to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, but that he failed to address a timetable in the matter.

Sunday, the Star Tribune issued the AP's follow up from the matter, devoting the lead to the reactions of those involved in the campaign to the president's speech; thousands responded to Obama with chants stating, "Hey Obama, Let mama marry mama," and, "We out, we're proud, and we won't back down."

While the first piece focuses largely on Obama's rhetoric and promise to overturn a 1993 law that concerning openly gay members of the military, the second zeroes in a response from Obama's audience. The two pieces act as a sort of conversation with one another. A call and response, if you will.

What works well, is that not only in this series does the president have a voice, but so do the individuals to whom he is speaking; along with this, is the national attention garnered by the annual even in which this conversation is couched.

Speakers and attendants at the rally itself, called not for "waiting" but for "agitating" when it comes to change. Perhaps these speakers from the NAACP and informal sources from the crowd can be viewed as direct response to the president; all parties were encouraging the direct actions of the president toward the advancement of freedom "for all people."

Responses in the second article were taken from straight and gay, known and unkonwn individuals, offering a wide scope of opinion on the matter, whereas the first was largely background on the president's campaign promise and military protocol because the actual news event--the march--hadn't happened yet.

Death sentenced after Chinese Brawl

Sunday the New York Times reported one man has been sentenced to death and another to life in prison after a brawl in a toy factory that was blamed for starting riots in Western China last summer.

According to the ShanghaiDaily.com, the fight happened in June and left two factory workers dead.

According to the New York Times, "Two courts in southern Guangdong Province, where the toy factory was located, also sentenced nine other people to prison terms ranging from five to eight years for taking part in the fights, according to Xinhua."

The ShanghaiDaily reported the Intermediate People's Court of Shaoguan held that Xiao Jianhua was the principal instigator of the brawl, incited his co-workers to join the affray between Han and Uygur workers, and led the assault.

Xiao was sentenced to death and fellow worker Xu Qiqi was given a life term after they were convicted of manslaughter.

The fight was a result of rumors at the Early Light Toy Factory in Shaoguan City, that maintained a group of Muslim Uighurs had raped two Han Chinese women. It raged at a factory dormitory through the early-morning hours of June 26, Two Uighur men were killed and, by some accounts, about 120 other people injured, most of them Uighurs.

"Star Wars" in concert staged across country

Features in both the Mercury News and CNN.com have noted the success of the newly staged live performance of John Williams' famed Star Wars Score, and George Lucas' approval of the show.

CNN focused on an interview with Lucas by David Daniel in which Lucas replied the stage show wasn't his idea. However, he is reportedly pleased with the results.

The show is built around the series' famed scores from the films, performed by a symphony orchestra and choir, and accompanied by specially edited clips from all six movies, displayed on a mammoth LED screen. In his interview with CNN, Lucas reports that while he's seen other live versions of the shows, the touring show is much more. "It's so much more emotional," said Lucas, "because what they've done is taken the emotional content of the score ... one is obviously the Imperial March, one is obviously romantic ... and then they've cut all the pictures around that from all the movies, so that you get this really wide range of visuals going with the music, and it really is quite powerful when you see the depictions of all of the various Imperial shenanigans that were going on over the Imperial March."

According to Mercury, the show also features a traveling exhibit of costumes, props, artifacts, production artwork and behind-the-scenes videos from the Lucasfilm archives. The items include Williams' original handwritten score for "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace."

Andrew Daniels, the original actor who played droid C-3PO in all the series films, is the narrator of the show. He told Mercury News that the difficulty was not so much culminating the show, night after night, but tearing down and moving to the next city.

The aim is to illustrate how essential an effective musical score is to a film's success, and Daniels reported just how intricate Williams' score has been.

"I saw quite a chunk of the original movie without music" while doing voice-overs for the first film in 1976, Daniels says. "It really opened my eyes to how absolutely essential music can be to a movie."

The tour began Oct. 9 in Sacramento, CA and concludes in Nashville, TN Dec. 13, 2009.

Wet streets prevent conversion of Hennepin and First Avenues to two-way streets

Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the scheduled conversion of both Hennepin and First Avenues back to two-way streets was to be pushed back from its original date.

The Pioneer Press reported that the conversion was originally slated for Saturday, but with wet weather conditions of snow and rain, crews were forced to postpone the change until at least Sunday. Wet conditions prevented crews from repainting the stripes.

The Star Tribune reported the, "goal of the $3 million conversion is to allow downtown visitors to drive more directly to their destinations." Business leaders have been in favor of the change, reportedly noting it would make driving more convenient for customers, who often drive around the block to find their destination.

The re-painted streets will change the follow according to the Star Tribune:

• On Hennepin, three northbound through lanes will be replaced with one through lane in each direction, designated left-turn lanes, and combined bike-bus-right-turn lanes.

• On 1st Avenue, bike lanes will run along the curbs, with off-peak parking allowed next to the bike lane -- 6 feet from the curb. The idea is that parked cars will serve as a buffer between moving traffic and the bike lane.

• "Bike boxes" painted at intersections will require cars to stay back from crosswalks about 10 feet to give left-turning bicycles a place to wait in front of motor-vehicle traffic.

The two avenues have been one-way street for the last thirty years.

The progression of the matter...

Upon examination of Star Tribune's Myron Medcalf's count of Twin Cities marathon winner Jason Hartmann, I might have done a few things differently.

With a lead that reads, "For most of the day, Jason Hartmann, winner of Sunday's Twin Cities Marathon, never worried about losing." The reader is led to think that this runner had his strategy and training in the bag. We believe the seasoned runner didn't ever worry about the race and was confident he'd win.

In the second graph, Medcalf continues to illustrate the runner and the event, noting the details of the day and the race. The third, describes his $25,000 prize. And, because he place the name of the runner in his lead, we can assume the entire story is going to focus on this winner of the race.

His quotes accurately portray his subject, Hartmann, and are illustrative of the runner's charisma and character. What marathon winner simply says, "It was a good day to run," after finishing a "simple" 26.2 mile race? The quote is catchy and pulls the reader right in.

We are given the happy details of Hartmann's win.

But then Medcalf backtracks.

He discusses a critical decision Hartmann made--to pick up a water bottle he'd dropped in the last miles--in order to achieve that win. It is only until Medcalf goes on to discuss the dropped water bottle that we realize the story is really about his character and strategy as a runner, not merely that he won the race.

While, one could argue that the lead makes that indication when Medcalf wrote, "for most of the race," the lead reads as if it is merely a casual statement. As if the runner really hadn't worried at all.

Medcalf then goes on to recount the details of Hartmann's childhoold and collegiate careers, bringing the reader back full circle to Sunday's race.

My argument, is that Medcalf didn't make a clear choice about the kind of piece he was writing. Was it the details of the race, and the mindset of the athlete? Or was it a profile of the athlete and his charisma. Though he was working under deadline, I believe had he made the decision earlier, he might have reworked, or re-ordered the piece to create a clear intent. The reader shouldn't have to work to find meaning, the writer should guide him or her clearly through any argument, narrative or written prose.

Greek Socialists win election

The New York Times reported Sunday that the nations Socialist party had won the country's national election over the center-right New Democratic Party in a climate of rising economic crisis for Greece.

CNN also reported the Socialist leader, George Papandreou, "promised to chart a new course for an economic comeback."

The newly elected official spoke to the people, reminding them that the path out of financial crisis will not be easy and will take extensive work and effort. The Times reported the leader's speech spoke of building the Greece they want and need, but that they had "no time to waste."

CNN also reported that, "Sunday's national elections were held two years before originally scheduled. Karamanlis called the elections in response to pressure from Papandreou's Panhellenic Socialist Movement of Greece, which threatened to block the election of a president in February if no general election was held. The Greek constitution requires the two major parties to agree on the election of a president, giving either party an effective veto."

The former leader, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, failed to convince the people of Greece to trust another economic plan, but was shot down by the country. Karamanlis said he respected the people's decision in the end.

E.Coli outbreaks rising in the last years.

Saturday the New York Times released an investigative piece on the rise in outbreaks of the E.Coli virus, uncovering lapses in the safety and testing of the ground beef industry.

The story focused specifically on 22-year-old Stephanie Smith, a native of Cold Spring, Minn. who was stricken by the E.Coli two years ago after eating a hamburger distributed by Cargill and cooked by her mother. She was left paralyzed from the waist down and suffered brain damage after several seizures and nine weeks in a medically induced coma.

Once a children's dance instructor, doctors don't expect her to walk again.

The times used Smith's story to couch a further investigation of the meat industry's E.Coli testing and practices. Though Cargill refused to answer questions and released a statement concerning their desire for safe food, the paper was able to interview Costco representatives who explained the extensive testing procedures Costco ensures for their ground beef.

The trouble, reported the Times, is that ground beef is not one cut of meat, it is a combination of many kinds of meat ground together. Because the meat is combined, it is easier to infect large quantities of meat with meat that carries even small amounts of the bacteria. Confidential records from Cargill reported that though Smith's burger was toted as 100% Angus beef, its actual contents came from a mix of slaughterhouse trimmings and a mash-like product derived from scraps that were ground together at a plant in Wisconsin. The ingredients came from slaughterhouses in Nebraska, Texas and Uruguay, and from a South Dakota company that processes fatty trimmings and treats them with ammonia to kill bacteria.

The company also keeps its processes and ingredients very secretly.

In concurrence with the Times piece, the United Press International released a piece Sunday discussing a boost in the bacteria's activity. According to professors at the University of Illinois, they have reached a better way to study the bacteria and its affects using lasers and optical traps to track the way the bacteria behaves.

Because these laser can confine specific cells to track, it is then easier to introduce specific stimuli and track the way in which the cell responds.

Though most outbreaks of E. Coli are not as severe as Smith's, thousands of individuals are stricken with the affects of the bacteria each year through food borne illness.

Michigan native wins Twin Cities marathon

Sunday, the Star Tribune reported the winner of the Twin Cities Marathon.

Jason Hartmann from Conchord, Mass. won the 26.2 mile foot race with a time of 2:12:16 and claiming a personal best and the marathon's $25,000 prize.

USA Today published an AP post recording the course began in downtown Minneapolis and finished in St. Paul at the state's capital. The course meanders the Mississippi's turns and makes headway down St. Paul's famed Summit Ave.

After his win, Hartmann told the Star Tribune that it was, "A good day to run." noting a critical decision he made in the last few miles of the race. At a routine water stop, Hartmann dropped his energy drink--his necessary fuel for the end of the race and his win.

After careful but keen deliberation, Hartmann decided to go back for the bottle, knowing he wouldn't be able to finish the race without its contents.

He told the Star Tribune that he didn't make the bottle into a bigger deal than it was, and that turning around reminded him of a shuttle drill from his high school basketball team. After realizing his 6'3" body wasn't fast enough or that he couldn't jump high enough for basketball, Hartmann picked up running full time.

He was all-American in track and cross-country at Oregon where he attended college.

After falling back to second place when retrieving the bottle, Hartmann held his own, trusting he would have enough juice for the end. Indeed in the last few miles, he was able to pull ahead and hold his lead for the finish.

Proper attribution

Looking further into the way the Star Tribune reported the story of Loa Nugyen, the Vietnamese student and spouse sentenced to deportation, I realized almost immediately that the paper could have sought more sources for Saturday's story.

Because Nugyen's husband, Dan Hanson, is nearly the only individual cited and quoted in the story, it lacks a balanced view of the couple's struggle and ultimately appears as if the paper has written a plea story for Nugyen's deportation. The facts are straight: Nugyen came on a student visa that expired when she took a break from her Ph.D. program to travel; the couple failed to properly file paperwork that declared them married; Nugyen failed to show at court, saying she had mixed up the dates and subsequently failing to notify her husband; the immigration court denied an appeal to reopen her case; and she remains detained, away from her husband and will be deported soon.

The facts were there, yes, but when a writer fails to properly balance his or her sources the story begins to look like a sad-tale about a separated husband and wife. Because the story is filled with quotes solely from Nugyen's husband, who is naturally distraught and sad for the situation of he and his wife, it appears one-sided.

The lead and following quote are remarkable effective:

"When Hoa Nguyen was shackled and jailed for failing to make an immigration hearing last month, she presented her reason to stay: Dan Hanson, her Illinois-born husband.

"I went down there [to jail] and thought, 'OK. Here I am. I'm her U.S.-citizen husband,'" Hanson said. "What can we do to make this right?"

Apparently, not much."

However, to insert the voice in which the last sentence is written, it seems to be the "Can't a guy catch a break?" motif. A motif, I might add, that seems inappropriate for a news story. Inappropriate because it inserts a strong voice of the writer, and inappropriate because the motif it implies would be empathetic or sympathetic--neither of which are ultimately appropriate for a hard news story.

There is a single mention that U.S. Immigration officials were not able to comment on the story; however, more background information could have been gathered on cases like that of Nugyen and Hanson, or the ways in which student visas expire or the number of citizens who marry immigrants and fail or improperly fill out paperwork.

Any indication that the reporter searched real records fails to be evident in his or her written work.

Other questions could be asked: How often do these deportation cases happen between couples? What does the actual law state about the matter? Did Nugyen attempt to contact the immigration office after she realized she had mixed up her court dates?

We only know the background of the couple, and that her family and roommates are "fighting for her," as she remains detained; her husband has the final word: "I don't think the fact that she's not going to die justifies this action."

There are holes throughout the piece about the complex nature of immigration protocol, or why the couple failed to begin correcting their paperwork in February when they realized something was awry. These holes are scattered like swiss cheese, but clearly present.

Oil Spill in Australia launches call for better protection.

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that a delicate marine environment off of the Australian coast is in grave danger because of increased oil and gas explorations in the area.

According to the TImes, "A damaged oil well in the region has been spewing thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Timor Sea since Aug. 21, when a blowout forced the evacuation of all 69 workers on the platform. Emergency crews have been working overtime to contain the spill, but officials say it could take about three more weeks to plug the leak."

On Tuesday, the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP) reported AFP reported an estimated 400 barrels of oil spill daily from the leak.

After a mobile drilling rig arrived from Indonesia on Monday, crews began drilling a relief well to divert the leaking oil and gas. However, the machine needs to bore 2.6 kilometres (1.6 miles) under the seabed, which will take about a week.

Because of the grave damage and the increase of oil wells in the region, the Times reports a call for protection in the area; officials have used the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989 as a platform example for concern.

In the first half of this year, more than 50 wells were drilled in the tropical waters off western Australia, adding to hundreds of other recent projects. Last month, the government gave Chevron the green light to expand its exploration of the huge Gorgon gas field, a $40 billion project that was opposed by conservationists because of its potential environmental impact.

The AFP reports tonnes of dispersant chemicals have been dumped on the spill, reportedly Australia's worst since offshore drilling began more than 40 years ago, and ecologists fear the toxic cocktail could threaten marine and coastal species.

The area is said to rival the beauty and delicate nature of the better-known Great Barrier Reef.

Vietnam woman facing deportation after missed court date

Saturday, the Star Tribune reported a Vietnam woman had been detained and sentenced to deportation after failing to appear in court to settle paperwork.

Loa Nguyen came to the U.S. on a student visa and has maintained her student status for the last ten years. After marrying Dan Hanson last year failed to properly file paperwork that allowed them to be properly documented as a married couple in the United States.

But after failing to show up for a September 13th court date, Nguyen was arrested and remains at the Shurburne County jail. Her family and friends have organized a website and support group to fight the decision for deportation. She is likely to be sent back to Vietnam for one to five years and will likely leave the country in the next two weeks.

Nugyen is said to have mixed up the 13th for the 23rd of September.

After missing her court date, KSTP.com reported that Nugyen failed to tell her husband about it.

According to the Star Tirbune, "Last week, an immigration judge denied Nguyen's motion to re-open her case, noting that her arguments did not constitute the "exceptional circumstances" needed to grant the motion.

KSTP reported Hason was heart wrenched. "It has been heart-rending to get a call at work, my wife Hoa has been detained. We inadvertently didn't complete some of the paperwork that was necessary in order for us to be properly documented in the U.S. as a legally married couple," said Hanson.

Hanson admits the couple has been through a few mix ups with the Immigration system in the U.S., but believes due process should give the couple an opportunity to fix their clerical mistakes.

Save the boobs! (October is breast cancer awareness month).

A new PSA announcement created by the Canadian Rethink Breast Cancer charity is raising eyebrows and dropping jaws.

On Tuesday, the L.A. Times was among the first to report the hype the new PSA is receiving. CNN and other news sources were soon to follow.

To say the least, the ad uses sex to sell the idea of breast cancer awareness to both men and women alike. The L.A. Times summarized the scene both adequately and creatively noting that in the ad, "a voluptuous young woman in a white bikini walks into a pool party scene. Strip-club music kicks in and the camera slow-mo's her fleshy assets while the partygoers attempt to pick their jaws up off the ground. No discreet, quick-cut editing here. The camera stares, unblinking, unashamed, at the woman's figure."

And just like that, the media began to buzz. The conversation seems to center over whether using sex to sell awareness is too racy or just right. The response from young people, including the woman who volunteered to star in the ad, believe it to be revolutionary and intending to reach a younger audience. CNN reports that she is an MTV Canada news anchor, and well known throughout the country.

Either way, her chest has now received celebrity status among American media.

Many believe the ad to be too racy, but others justify its production with a fair comparison to beer commercials and clothing ads. If a woman's body is used to sell material goods, why couldn't it be used as a means of awareness and education?

The advertisement report from the L.A. Times putes it quite nicely, stating: "If this were a Budweiser commercial, the bluestockings, psalm singers and family focusers would be going completely mental, but in this case the morals police have no grounds to object unless they want to come off as somehow pro-breast cancer."

USA Today featured the ad on its website, and biasly seems to agree with the makers of the ad. The paper wrote of the ad as a "bold, enterprising and entrepreneurial approach" to spread the word among younger men and women instead of just handing out brochures that nobody reads.

It also noted that top oncologists serve on the board of directors for Rethink Breast cancer.

A look at leads.

The Star Tribune reported Saturday that Gov. Pawlenty was third in a straw poll of potential GOP contenders at a Washington Conferene.

The lead of the story looked like this:
"WASHINGTON – Gov. Tim Pawlenty finished third in a straw poll of potential GOP presidential contenders at a conservative conference in Washington Saturday, receiving only one vote less than second place finisher Mitt Romney." (Star Tribune)

The lead is tight, and jam-packed with information. However, it is the grammatical tactic of alliteration that jumps out to create a well woven lead. The sentence itself is intertwined with poll, potential and presidential, and followed by contenders, conservative and conference. Not only is the sentence concise and straightforward with the bulk of the story's intent, the alliteration causes the central ideas to literally pop forward with such a keen device. Whether an individual remembers their primary days in which they learned the official, grammatical term, one is certain to find the lead alluring when read aloud.

While the lead may begin to sound like a hip-hop rhyme with its rhythm, it can be argued that the importance of the information in the lead can be lost within such a complex sentence. Indeed the headline seems more straightforward than the lead of the story. It could be taken down by several words, and while Mitt Romney is a famous individual and recognizable by most of the readers of the paper, Eric Roper of the Star Tribune might have done well to omit his name until a few sentences later. The most important bit of information is that the Minnesota Governor was third in the GOP's poll; complimentary information is that he was only one vote behind Romney.

Sweetango not the apple of everyone's eye.

While the new SweeTango apple has been a smash since its debut, not all farmers are thrilled with its success.
Friday, MPR.org reported that some farmers are unhappy with the agreement between the University of Minnesota and a single grower in Southern Minnesota.
Unlike other, "public" apples (e.g. the Honeycrisp) for which farmers pay a one-time fee to plant and produce, the SweeTango apple is only allowed to be produced by Pepin Heights according to the university agreement. (MPR)
Pepin Heights is the state's largest apple producer (Kare11.com)
On September 11, Kare11.com reported that other small growers are upset with the decision.
"I'm David, they're Goliath," quips Karl Townsend, owner of Dassel Hillside Farm in Meeker County. "It's a good apple. It's the business model that's bad."
According to individuals at the University of Minnesota, the agreement is due to budget cuts in research. Because of the loss of funds, the new apple must be handled in a different way than others in the past. MPR also reports the U of M officials believe making the apple a single-grower entity will help Minnesota growers on a long term sale, implying that the apples will be planted in locations that are prime for growing. Many publicly grown apples, like the Honeycrisp, have been planted in places unsuitable for proper apple growth.

Clinically insane killer escapes guards on field trip.

The New York Times reported a legally insane killer escaped at a field trip to a county fair on Thursday in Spokanne, Wash.
According to CNN.com, the fugitive, Phillip Paul remained on the loose on Saturday. He is believed to be traveling in the direction of family in Sunnyside, Wash.
Citizens are urged to call 911 with information.
According to the Times report, many--including the fugitive's brother, and Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire--are questioning why a state hospital would allow a clinically unstable person to attend a public fair. As a consequence, Eastern State Hospital, is undergoing an internal investigation at the demand of the Secretary of Health and Social Services of the state.
CNN has posted a photograph of Paul and reports that the fugitive may have planned his escape. He took most of his clothing with him in a backpack when he left his room for the fair.
The inmates were monitored by staff in a ratio of 33 to 11.
Paul is a paranoid-schizophrenic with symptoms so severe, CNN reported, he has disturbed even professionals in the medical field.
"He's the only paranoid schizophrenic -- I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands of them -- that frightened me," Dr. Frank Hardy, a licensed psychiatrist, said in one of the documents, according to KREM. "The first time I took one look at him -- and I've never done this before or since -- I asked the jailer to remain in the room while I examined him. (CNN).

Germany Investigates Two Deaths in Medical Therapy/Poisoning Incident

Sunday, the BBC reported that a German doctor has been arrested for administering a mixture of drugs to a group of 12 individuals involved in a group psychotherapy therapy session that lead to two deaths in Berlin.
Another man remains in critical condition.
Neither victim's names nor the doctor's name have been released by police.
In concurrence with the BBC, CNN has also reported the doctor admitted to administering the drugs, and remains in custody for questioning. Though police do not know what patients were given, the BBC reported local reports of the incident suggest indications of heroin, amphetamines, and ecstasy were used, but the BBC also quoted a police spokesman, Michael Gassen, said: "At this session the participants were given substances. What kind of substances these are... has to be investigated now."
The patients were said to be given the drugs as a way to expand their consciousness and help with spiritual crises.