Andrew's World

For the analysis I used the obituary of Max McGee.

The sources used were Sgt. Chris Whiteside of the Deephaven Police Department, former teammate Paul Hornung, former teammate Jerry Kramer, Packers historian Lee Remmel, and the Max McGee National Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin website.

The lead is relatively standard for an obituary, however it is a little more descriptive than other ones I have seen. It gives a long description of what McGee was famous for. It wasn't simply Max McGee a Packer legend but it was "Max McGee, the free-spirited Green Bay Packers receiver who became part of Super Bowl lore after a night on the town, died when he fell while clearing leaves from the roof of his home. He was 75." (Star Tribune)

The lead works because it gives a lively description of the man that Max McGee was.

The obituary differs from a resume because it doesn't just give accomplishments that he achieved in his life. Rather it gives anecdotes from people who were close to him and gives insights about what kind of person he was.

Posted by Andrew Delain at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to the Star Tribune the University of Minnesota dental school is opening a $9.5 million simulation clinic for students.

The clinic will allow for students in their first two years of the four-year program to work with mannequins that are outfitted with virtual-reality-based technology. This way they will be able to practice their skills on an advanced machine that will give them feedback before they actually practice on live patients.

The new clinic is a vast upgrade from the old "teeth-on-a-stick" system that lacked movable cheeks and lips.

There, the student can see how this drill work compares with an ideal cut, both in shape and in depth. And instead of having to wait to be graded by a faculty member, the students get instant feedback from the computer. (Star Tribune)

"It's the closest you can get to a real patient," Fourth-year dental student Mohit Sharda said. "And the good thing is that if you mess up, you can take the tooth out and put a new one in."

Beeps alert the students in they have done something wrong such as drilling too deep or leaning too much on the mannequin.

Dental school dean Dr. Patrick Lloyd said that some dental schools that already have simulation units in place find that students learn more quickly."They will have refined their drilling proficiency," Lloyd said, "and they can spend more time focusing on the peripheral needs of the patient and they'll have more confidence." (Star Tribune)

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The Star Tribune reports that hunters in Walworth County stumbled upon millions of dollars worth of marijuana plants in Wisconsin, a drug enforcement agent said.

About 1,600 plants were found in two different areas on public hunting grounds, said Sgt. Jeff Patek of the Walworth County Drug Unit. The plants were 10- to 15-feet tall and ready to be harvested, he said. (Star Tribune )

More than two dozen officers had to help clear the fields of the plants and a helicopter had to be used to lift plant filled tarps to a burn pit where the plants could be disposed of.

"You had to get right up on top of it before seeing everything,'' said a hunters who asked not to be identified because the growers haven't been arrested. "They had it all hidden with vegetation.''

The fields would have provided about 800 pounds of sellable marijuana, which would be worth $2.8 million and $3.8 million on the street, Patek estimated. (Star Tribune )

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The Star Tribune reports that next spring famed explorer Will Steger will set off for an expedition to the northernmost tip of Canada and Gov. Tim Pawlenty intends to meet up with him to see first hand the impact of global warming on the arctic environment.

Steger has said that disscussions about a possible rendezvous have been occurring for months. Pawlenty said Saturday that nothing has been set in stone, but he is looking at meeting up with Steger sometime in May.

The trip could pay big dividends for both in their respected causes, Steger could gain more exposure in the media which help him in his conquest to alert the world of global warming, while a trip to the Arctic could boost Pawlenty's image at time when he has been mentioned as a potential vice president candidate.

Steger plans to leave in mid-March, leading a small international team on a 1,500-mile dogsled trip from Resolute Bay in northern Canada to Ellesmere Island, which is about 500 miles below the North Pole and is known as "The Island at the Top of the World." Star Tribune

Pawlenty has long put energy and environmental issues -- traditionally identified with liberal politicians -- at the top of his political agenda. When he took the helm of NGA this year, Pawlenty said clean energy would be his signature issue, and when the Legislature reconvenes in February, he is hoping to shepherd through a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state 80 percent by 2050. Star Tribune

"He wants to see it firsthand," Steger said. "The governor is very willing. He's serious about this."

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The New York Times reported on a new study done by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, part of the Pew Research Center, and the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Kennedy School at Harvard.

The study which examined 1,742 stories that appeared from January through May in 48 news outlets found out about various political media trends. For example there has been increased coverage of political strategy and tactics as opposed to the issues.

Also, Democratic presidential candidates were more favorably covered compared to Republican candidates. According to the study Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois had overwhelming support and positive coverage from the media compared to Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona.

Other highlights from the study include statistics showing that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York recieved the most coverage but only 27 percent of her stories were considered positive whereas 47 percent about Obama were positive.

The study found that voters were craving coverage of candidates positions on issues and personal background information but only 12 percent of stories dealt with information relevant to voters' decision making.

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According to the New York Times Israeli officials have stated that fuel supplies have been reduced to Gaza and one of two crossings used for supplies has been shit down.

The actions result from Israeli government decisions to use sanctions as a method to deal with continuous rocket fire from the Hamas-run territory.

The industrial fuel that is used in the Gaza power plant would not decreased, Shlomo Dror, a spokesman for the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories, the Israeli agency that oversees supplies to Gaza, said. However he said that fuel for personal use and transportation would be affected.

Israel, like the United States and the European Union, considers Hamas a terrorist organization and refuses to deal with it. Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, and its charter seeks Israel’s destruction.

With only one crossing open, the amount of trucks carrying in supplies will be cut in half. “We will allow in the minimum amount of food and medicines necessary to avoid a humanitarian crisis,� Mr. Dror said. (New York Times)

Hamas has stated that they were not firing rockets into Israel but it was the act of smaller militant groups. They said that they have only launched mortar shells at Israeli military bases in retaliation to Israeli attacks. However, since Hamas is the controlling authority in Gaza, Israel holds them responsible.

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The article I chose New York Times is a story that outlines an upcoming convention dedicated to NBC's "The Office" that will occur this weekend in Scranton, Pa., which is the setting of the show.

The sources that the story included were show creator Greg Daniels, Cathy Hinesley, an assistant to the mayor of Scranton, Michele Dempsey, a resident of Scranton, as well as organizers of the convention.

The angle of the story focuses on the show and how it has interacts with Scranton, both on the show and in real life. The show for instance has never been filmed in Scranton but has real references and items placed throughout episodes. The story also features talk about how the show has helped revitalize the town and bring them closer together, since they are planning the convention which some of "The Office" stars will appear at.

The reporter did an amazing job of creating something more than just a simple listing by providing insights to people who might be interested in such an event or the show. He stated how the only part of the show which was filmed in Scranton was the opening credits which was shot by John Krasinski. He also reports how the town was chosen as the setting. The background behind the creation of event is also stated which is interesting. For example he writes that the idea was first discussed in one of the local bars and then mentions that the mayor and other residents taped a music video inviting all the actors to the event. Instead of just giving the basics of the event he entices the reader to attend the invite by giving rather interesting perspectives about the relationship between the show and the town.

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The New York Times reports that Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" where he discussed his entry into the South Caroline presidential primary. He also has a book that was just released titled, “I Am America (and So Can You!).�

“This is not a dream, you’re not going to wake up from this. I’m far real-er than Sam Brownback, let me put it that way,� Mr. Colbert, the host of the popular faux news program, “The Colbert Report,� said of his candidacy. (New York Times)

Colbert officially announced that he would be running as a Democrat and Republican in the South Carolina primary on his show this past week.

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The ex-Green Packers receiver, Max McGee, was clearing leaves off his roof of his house in Deephaven, when he fell off and died. He was 75.

McGee caught the first touchdown pass in Super Bowl history in 1967, a game he expected to watch from the sideline. When it was over, he had caught seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs and Green Bay — coached by the great Vince Lombardi — had beaten the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. ( Star Tribune )

McGee who only had four receptions for 91 yards in the 1966 regular season, didn't even plan on playing in the game, as spent the night before partying which violated the team curfew. He didn't even bother to bring his helmet out of the locker room.

After a player went down with an injury McGee was thrust into the game and he had to borrow a helmet.

Lombardi once showed the team a football at a meeting and said, "Gentlemen, this is a football."

"McGee said, 'Not so fast, not so fast,"' Packers historian Lee Remmel said. "That gives you an index to the kind of humor that he served up regularly." ( Star Tribune )

In addition to his wife, Denise, McGee is survived by four children and several grandchildren.

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According to the Star Tribune Westwood Middle School created an online program that enables students to anonymously interact with adult staff members.

The idea behind "Talk About It," an online program is to allow for students to have a nonthreatening or intimidating environment where they can get advice, prevent school violence, or simply have someone to talk to.

Just this month, two cases showcase how valuable the program could be to schools. Students reported that they heard the shooter in the Oct. 10 school shooting make threats. Also, this month in Norristown, Pa. a teenager was arrested when he was reported as possessing weapons by another student.

Westwood eighth-grader Bailie Johnson, 13, helped to train her classmates to use the system. "I think they like it better that it's anonymous," she said. "... They can talk to a counselor through the Internet instead of in person, which is better because they feel they're not being judged as much." ( Star Tribune)

Principal Paula Hoff said that she has received about two alerts a day from the program, with them ranging from lunchroom and bus behavior to bullying.

School counselor Rebecca Crislip said she's heard mostly from students who are having issues around friends and school stress. "I always had a lot of students coming in, but I know there is a population that isn't comfortable coming down to the counselors' office or speaking to an adult," she said. "The goal is to help the students deal with the issue so they can go back to focusing on their learning." ( Star Tribune)

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According to the New York Times King Middle School in Portland, Maine voted to provide girls access to prescription contraceptives.

They will be added to services offered at the school's health clinic, after the school committee voted 7-2 in favor of the added service.

The decision has received mixed reactions. Some have stated that it is morally wrong to advocate that sexual activity is alright at such a young age, while others say that sexual activity is something that happens so we need help them take care of themselves.

“I think it’s a great idea,� said Cathleen Allen, whose son is enrolled at King. “Someone is finally advocating for these students to take care of themselves.� Ms. Allen added, “It’s an eye-opener for all of us, but when you look at the facts, why not?� (New York Times )

The school's clinic has offered condoms and tests for pregnancy and STD's since 2000. Whereas, Portland high schools have offered prescription contraceptives for years, said Douglas S. Gardner, the city’s director of health and human services. (New York Times)

In the past four years 17 middle school students had become pregnant in Portland, which influenced the officials to extend to program to the middle school.

Parents must sign a waiver if they want their children to have access to the clinic, at King 135 out of the 500 students have permission to use the clinic. Girls will only be allowed access to the prescriptions after counseling and being examined by a physician or nurse practitioner and no prepubescent children will get it.

The Washington Post reports that Gov. John Baldacci said he had reservations about the program and was trying to learn more.

"I appreciate local officials trying to address a need in a medically appropriate way, but these are children," he said in an interview with the AP. "An appropriate balance must be struck addressing the troubling situation that a small number of students find themselves in and recognizing the important role that parents and other family should play." (Washington Post )

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According to the New York Times the U.S. military stated that their forces killed 49 militants today during a raid in Baghdad's Sadr City enclave.

The raid which had one of the highest death tolls for a single operation since President Bush declared that active combat was over in 2003, was aimed at capturing an Iranian- linked militia chief. It is unknown if the unnamed man was caught.

According to Iraqi police and hospital officials, only 15 deaths occurred including three children. Ali al-Dabbagh, an
Iraqi government spokesman said all the dead were civilians. However, the U.S. military said they were not aware of civilian casualties. No U.S. soldiers were harmed.

A local resident who goes by the name Abu Fatmah said his neighbor's 14-year-old son, Saif Alwan, was killed while sleeping on the roof.''Saif was killed by an airstrike and what is his guilt? Is he from the Mahdi Army? He is a poor student,'' Abu Fatmah said. (New York Times)

Since the arrival of 30,000 additional soldiers on June 15th, attacks and raids by the U.S. military have increased as they continue to fight Sunni insurgents, al-Qaida militants and Shiite militiamen.

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I had a hard time finding newsworthy press releases from government agencies, so I decided to compare the press release from the Norwegian Noble Committee announcing 2007's Noble Peace Prize winners and the New York Time's coverage of the story.

Right away in the second paragraph the news article uses the press release by stating in quotations the reason the committee chose the two parties for the award: The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised both “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change.�

The reporters, after mentioning why the two parties split the award, showed various sides of the on-going issues of global warming such as Gore's award winning film An Inconvenient Truth, how the United Nation's panel was once vilified, and included a quote from a peace committee member, who usually don't comment on the award.

“I hope this will have an effect on the attitudes of Americans as well as people in other countries,� said Berge Furre, a peace committee member.

The reporter then chose to include more of the press release. In its formal citation, the Nobel committee called Mr. Gore “probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted.� It praised the United Nations panel, which is made up of 2,000 scientists and is considered the world’s leading authority on climate change, for creating “an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming.� (New York Times)

The news article then focuses on how past award winners have bashed the Bush administration such as 2005 co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Mohamed ElBaradei, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, made no secret of his opposition to the American invasion of Iraq and has angered the Bush administration by his measured methods for trying to rein in nuclear proliferation, particularly in Iran. But the article reminds us how the committee looks past the politics and to their achievements when selecting winners.

The reporters also chose to end the article with two very powerful parts of the Nobel press release.

In its citation on Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the United Nations panel and Mr. Gore had focused “on the processes and decisions that appear to be necessary to protect the world’s future climate, and thereby reduce the future threat to the security of mankind.�

It concluded, “Action is necessary now, before climate change moves beyond man’s control.�

In my opinion the reporters showed that they supported the argument of global warming by ending with the above quote that calls for man kind to act before it is too late to save earth. So one could argue that the reports did have a considerable bias when it came to reporting this story.

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According to the New York Times Friends of the Earth Action, endorsed John Edwards candidacy for the Democratic nomination on Sunday.

Compared to the other candidates, Edward's plans were favored. The group liked his proposals to fight global warming, and his opposition to nuclear power plants and the influence of lobbyists on policy, said Brent Blackwelder, the organization's president.

“Edwards is razor sharp and clear: we don’t want to go the route of nuclear power plants,� said Mr. Blackwelder. However,Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton are exploring the options of nuclear power.

Mr. Edwards, accepting the endorsement, said: “I am opposed to the building of new nuclear power plants, which is different from the position taken by Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.�

His environment initiatives include capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010, and reducing it by 20 percent by 2020 and then 80 percent by 2050. In addition, his proposals include investing in renewable energy sources, and an energy fund that auctions off $10 billion in greenhouse pollution permits and repealing subsidies for big oil companies. (New York Times)

The endorsement follows MoveOn voters choosing Edwards as the candidate with the best policy concerning global warming.

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According to the Star Tribune the University of Minnesota received more than $251 million in gifts and pledges, more than any point in the school's history.

Gifts for fiscal 2007 were up 39 percent over a year ago, when $181 million was raised. University officials were happy with the generosity, but pointed out that donations are only about 4 percent of the university's annual revenue.

"I believe the increase in philanthropy is an example of people's confidence and high expectations for the University of Minnesota and very specifically the strategic initiatives," Board of Regents chair Dr. Patricia Simmons said.(Star Tribune)

Almost half of the the university's revenue comes from state support and tuition and fees. Collectively accounting for $1.2 billion of the $2.8 billion of revenue the university generates.

A major reason for the increase was due to the estate of James Cargill, which included Dinnaken Housing LLC, a business that owns four student housing properties near the campus along with an office building. The properties are worth more than $27 million.

Several other large gifts supporting capital projects, including the TCF Bank Stadium ($19.6 million), an addition to the Weisman Art Museum ($3.4 million) and the Carlson School's Hanson Hall and undergraduate expansion ($7.5 million) contributed to the increased giving, the university said. (Star Tribune)

"Ninety-eight cents of every dollar are dedicated to a particular purpose, and many of these are deferred, long-term gifts," University President Robert Bruininks said. "It helps give you the margin of excellence, but it doesn't cover your core costs."

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According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the Islamic Society of Milwaukee plans to open Wisconsin's first Islamic high school in Milwaukee's south side.

The society raised more than $1 million in donations and pledges during the holy month of Ramadan to make the endeavorer possible. 425 students already attend a K-8 school operated by the society.

Officials hope that by the end of the year a building a short drive away from their K-8 school will be bought. They hope that by the fall of 2008, ninth- and 10th-grade classes will be held, said Othman Atta, society president.

A $1.2 million down payment is needed for the building and its site, which are expected to cost more than $5 million.
A push for more donations occurred Saturday as Muslims gathered to mark the end of Ramadan.

"If you don't give, you are not serious about the future," said Ziad Hamdan, the society's imam, as he stood before the crowd and repeatedly urged donations of $1,000 or more.

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According to the New York Times Canadian airlines are upset at a Department of Homeland Security plan which would require airlines to give information about passengers flying over the United States to reach another country.

The plan which mostly affect Canadians who leave in the winter to Mexico, Cuba, and the Caribbean, would violate Canada's privacy laws.

The Transportation Security Administration proposal is part of a larger plan known ad the Secure Flight Program. The program is designed to conduct uniform pre-screening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. Currently, air carriers are responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists.

Christopher White, a spokesman for the security administration, wanted to emphasize that the new program is not intended to make Canadians security measures look bad. “We need a multilayered approach,� he said. “Any security system that relies on one process is a very vulnerable system.�

Meanwhile Canadian airlines believe that the new plan is just a simple data fishing exercise.

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According to the New York Times 15 Noble Prize laureates met in Potsdam, Germany to discuss how to save the world from global warming.

While none claimed to have a solution that would end the threat of climate change, all expressed that people should be concerned. “The scientific findings are clear: climate is changing, and it is a response to human activities,� said Mario J. Molina, a Mexican-American chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1995 for being the first to posit that chlorofluorocarbons and similar chemicals could poke a hole in the ozone layer. (New York Times)

The climate focussed meeting of past winners is occurring during a week in which new Noble Prize announcements are being made. By the end of the week they hope that a "green" Peace Prize will be awarded. Rumored candidates include former Vice President Al Gore; Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a Canadian Inuit who has warned about the threat to Arctic wildlife; and Rajendra K. Pachauri, an Indian scientist who is chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the risks of greenhouse gases for the United Nations.

At the meeting the United States, including President Bush, recieved praise for new efforts to diminish human effects on the environment. Mr. Bush said the United States would “seriously consider� a European plan proposed by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to halve greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 2050.

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This article is the First Day: 10-3 Nuclear Talks

This is the follow up article: 10-4 Nuclear Talks

The stories focus on North Korea discussing a deal that would stop their nuclear ambitions. The first day lead informs the audience that the United States had reached an agreement with North Korea. The follow article includes more detail and includes reaction from the Bush Administration. The first day article as a whole details the specifics of the agreement with some quotes from government officials disscussing the specifics of the deal. It gives you background of the talks and how they came to reach the deal. However, the follow up article includes all of the previously mentioned and also includes reaction from various groups and officials. Such as how conservatives feel like the U.S. was too soft on North Korea.

Both news stories were from the same news source and the same author, Helene Cooper.

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The Star Tribune reports that Friday morning, the Minneapolis City Council voted to restrict the carrying of nonlethal guns.

The 13-0 vote was influenced by the trend in which more crimes are being committed using replica firearms. It also becomes a concern for officers who have to make split-second decisions. They don't don't want to use lethal force against someone who simply has a fake gun.

According to the Pioneer Press The new ordinance bars people from carrying the fake guns in a public place, and requires they be transported the same way as real firearms - in a closed container locked in the trunk of a vehicle. However brightly colored toy guns will not be affected.

Police said they confiscated 294 such guns last year, with another 129 collected in the first half of this year. Many were BB guns, which already face some state restrictions. But others were replicas used in assaults, threats, burglaries, car thefts -- even kidnapping. The price of replicas ranges from under $20 to more than $200. (Star Tribune)

"The lines between real violence and fake violence are being blurred, not just on our TV screens, but in the streets of our city," said Don Samuels, the council member who introduced the restrictions. In the most recent case, a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed a 15-year-old youth armed with a pellet gun that resembled a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun. (Pioneer Press)

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The Star Tribune reports that a law enforcement employee shot and killed at least 5 people early Sunday.

It is not known if the suspect is dead but Crandon Police Chief John Dennee said, "We're not looking for anybody anymore." The suspect is an employee of the Forest County Sheriff's Department and a part-time officer for the Crandon Police Department, said a State Patrol dispatcher.

Crandon is a northeastern Wisconsin town about 225 miles north of Milwaukee with a populaton of about 2,000.

According to Jenna Bradley, gunshots were heard at about 3 a.m. at the suspects ex-girlfriends's residence where about 10 people were for a party. Victims ranged from current Crandon High School students, recent graduates and the ex-girlfirend, said Karly Johnson.

"He graduated with my brother," she said. "He was nice. He was an average guy. Normal. You wouldn't think he could do that."

Mayor Gary Bradley declined to comment about the on-going investigation but stated that the community will unite and remain strong to prevail through the situation.

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According to the New York Times a federal prosecutor committed suicide on Friday while being held in prison for allegedly traveling from Florida to Michigan to have sex with a 5-year-old girl.

J.D. Roy Atchison, 53, was arrested on Sept. 16 at the Detroit airport after being caught in an Internet sting operation led by Macomb County sheriff's department.

An undercover detective posing as a mother who was soliciting sex with her daughter had been chatting online with Atchison for two weeks, said authorities.

Mr. Atchison's defense attorney, James C. Thomas, had heard but not confirmed that Atchison had hanged himself in the showers at the federal prison in Milan, Mich. He was previously put on watch due to earlier attempts at taking his life, according to prison officials.

He was charged with traveling across state lines to have sex with a child younger than 12, using the Internet to entice a minor and traveling to another state to engage in illicit sex to which he pleaded not guilty. However according to authorities, when he was arrested he was carrying a Dora the Explorer doll, hoop earrings and petroleum jelly.

According to the Washington Post Atchison, a married father of three, was an assistant U.S. attorney in northern Florida, based in Pensacola. Gulf Breeze, Fla., residents have described him as a respected figure who coached girls' softball and basketball in a park a few blocks from his home.

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According to the New York Times North Korea has agreed to disable all of its nuclear facilities by the end of the year.

The agreement announced on Wednesday in Beijing, states that North Korea will disclose all its nuclear programs and disable all facilities in return for 950,000 metric tons of fuel oil or its equivalent in economic aid. However, the agreement does not state that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons.

The agreement on Wednesday is part of a larger pact between North Korea, China, Russia, South Korea, Japan and the United States who have all been pushing to denuclearize North Korea.

A considerable amount of criticism is coming from conservatives who claim that the U.S. is rewarding North Korea for a successful nuclear test last October. The agreement also calls for the U.S. to take take North Korea off of their terrorism list which conservatives believe shouldn't happen until it gives up all of it's nuclear weapons.

The Washington Post reports that Pyongyang wants to be free of financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. Trading With the Enemy Act, a 1917 law that allows for a near-total economic boycott of countries at war with the United States. However, this may not happen immediately due to on-going concerns about nuclear materials that may of been shipped to Syria and also the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents.

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