NMalec

DM&E was denied a loan Monday. Many officials were happy with the vote because of the controversy raised by the Mayo Clinic and residents of Rochester who opposed building a track through their town.

The Pioneer Press starts their lede with the point that the Federal Railroad Administration denied a fill for the DM&E.
The Star Tribune's takes an angle that I found confusing. Despite the story being that a bill was denied they talk about how Rep. Tim Walz of Rochester was against the bill, but thinks the train should carry agricultural products not coal. The bill is only brought up in passing and I was a little conrused.
The Pioneer Press was very clear in saying what happened and the explaining the controversy and the different sides. We know from this article that Tim Walz is happy that the bill was denied, but we don't know the reasons why he was happy. The reasons why are explained in the Star Tribune, but I'm not sure it is necassary to know that unless it is relevant to the issue. It may be relevant if DM&E does change its focus to agriculture, because I understand the Star Tribune article to say that he is not against a railroad running through Rochester, he just thinks it should transport agriculture products. This is important because it goes against the May Clinic and many residents who are against the plan.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The death of three people at the Minnesota Veterans Home of Minneapolis has prompted Gov. Pawelenty to order the Department of Health to monitor the area on a daily basis.

The Pioneer Press and Star Tribune both find two different stories in this article.
The Star Tribune begins the lede with the three deaths and focuses more on that, while the Pioneer Press focuses more on the actions that will be taken due to the three deaths and the poor conditions of the home.
I couldn't find any earlier articles written on this issue at either paper, so I have to believe that the deaths are most important, but the informationt on future preventative actions is also necassary.
I think the lead should begin like the Star Tribune's with the deaths being at the top, however, their lead is more jumbled and confusing than the Pioneer Press's lede. It has two time phrases i.e. Tuesday and last month and begins with "State inspectors said..." and then gets into the article.
They also cover themselves by listing all the possibilities of the deaths at the beginning rather than just stating that there were three deaths.

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Rice said that Congress should not limit troops sent to Iraq because that is not their decision, it is the presidents.

Both AP articles
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-rice022507,0,6536471.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

http://www.startribune.com/722/story/1024437.html
start similarly, where Rice says that it would be a mistake for Congress to try to control the war from Washington.
But I think the quote in the Baltimore Sun makes the point much clearer.
"I would hope that Congress would recognize that it's very important for them to have the oversight role," Rice said. "But when it comes to the execution of policy in the field, there has to be a clear relationship between the commander in chief and the commanders in the field."
opposed to
Such efforts are "the worst of micromanagement of military affairs," she said.
"The president is going to, as commander in chief, need to do what the country needs done,"

The Baltimore Sun's quote says that she thinks that the congress's job is to watch over the decisions that are made by the president. The other one just makes her look dismissive and without any clear answer.

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Internet addiction is seen as metal illness in China. "Patients" are treated harshly with electric batons.

The Washington Post article (http://www.startribune.com/722/story/1019976.html)
starts with a narrative that describes a scene of the isolated prison-like situation a person is in, but then ends with a kicker of why he is there "Sun's offense: Internet addiction"
The article then goes on to talk about why internet addiction is treated so strongly on China as well as some criticism by a Chinese school master of their responce to it.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, gave his final speech where he talked about having greater understanding between different fiaths.

Both articles one from the AP and another from the Detroit Free Press have similar structures.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070225/NEWS01/70225014/1053/SPORTS05
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/nation/16783144.htm

They both mention the main point of Farrakhan's speech and then quote him. The Detroit article gives a broader perspective of the speech by mentioning that their were other speakers, fundraising and singing of the national anthem. However, the AP went more in-depth into the background of Farrakhan's illness and why this may be his last speech, along with the political climate that he is leaving during.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, gave his final speech where he talked about having greater understanding between different fiaths.

Both articles one from the AP and another from the Detroit Free Press have similar structures.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070225/NEWS01/70225014/1053/SPORTS05
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/nation/16783144.htm

They both mention the main point of Farrakhan's speech and then quote him. The Detroit article gives a broader perspective of the speech by mentioning that their were other speakers, fundraising and singing of the national anthem. However, the AP went more in-depth into the background of Farrakhan's illness and why this may be his last speech, along with the political climate that he is leaving during.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A stem cell study done in 2002 was found to have flaws.

This story is written as a hard news story in http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16770980.htm
and a more in-depth coverage in the Star Tribune that goes over the chronology, politics, and opinions of other researchers.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1020101.html
It was hard to get a hold of the researcher. The Pioneer Press couldn't even reach her and had to use the Star Tribune's story from the day before. The Star Tribune was only able to contact her by e-mail, because she is in Belgium. It was stated in the article how she was reached.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Students from Wisconsin are paying less for tuition at Minnesota schools than their Minnesotan classmates. A bill in the Minnesota House might change this.

After reading the star tribune article (http://www.startribune.com/1592/story/1017304.html) I felt that I didn't quite see the whole story. Their is a dispute about the reciprocity between Wis. and Minn. Some Minnesotans feels the lower tuition is unfair while some Wisconsins feel it is fair. But the keyword is reciprocity, and I couldn't tell from the article what Wis. was giving us and why they would think the deal was fair. When I looked in the campus papers of Wis. and Minn. I found the answers to these questions.
http://badgerherald.com/news/2007/02/23/state_legislators_re.php
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/02/21/70853

In the campus papers they told us that $5 million is given to Minn. from Wis. every year, but the problem is that Minn. puts this money in the general budget and not to Universities, so the funding for universities is short.
This is very important information, because it shows clearly why Wis. would be against the bill. The Star Tribune just says that their is a debate without giving a rational reason for Wis. stance.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brakes will have to be recalled on 10% of the buses in Minnesota. This recall may relate to the brakes used in the crash last year at Ham lake.

Because the crash at Ham lake may have been connected to the breaks police are not willing to comment on the specifics of the accident for unknown reasons.
Getting this information is a challenge, the Star Tribune) goes to the police, but they don't give an answer,
(http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1008416.html
but The Pioneer Press got the info from the bus driver
"It's the same type of brake system that, according to the bus driver, failed moments before he crashed"
(http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/16719519.htm)
This is very clever, they couldn't find the news from the experts so they went to the source.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 9:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In case you were all worried, Prince is still playing, but now he's in Las Vegas.

This article probably has no challenges and doesn't even need to say too much, because it is about Prince. Many people will keep reading just because the headline has Prince in it.
http://www.startribune.com/457/story/1005430.html

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A baby was either accidentally or intentionally injured, despite suspicions that the parents injured the baby, she was returned to her parents.

This article is interesting, because the police say in both articles at the beginning that the parents lied about the injury to the 15-year-old baby, but at the end both say that the baby was returned because they did not have sufficient medical evidence to prove that they were lying.
I feel that it should say that the baby was returned to her parents at the beginning of the article, because the whole piece makes you feel like the parents did it, but then at the end you not only think they did it you also feel like the legal system is totally whack. Howeve,r they do mention that the case is still opened and show that the baby was given back somewhat reluctantly
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/16719124.htm
http://www.startribune.com/467/story/1008313.html

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thousands of Italians protested the planned expansion of an American base in Vicenza, Italy.

I think the challenge in this article was to explain the political system in Italy concisely while still giving the news. The New York Times article
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/world/europe/18italy.html)
said that "Last week, Prime Minister Romano Prodi infuriated members within HIS ruling coalition,especially COMMUNISTS and RADIAL LEFTISTS, when he decided NOT to reverse the plan set in motion by his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, to allow the expansion of the base. The CENTER-RIGHT OPPOSITION seized on the dissent as a sign of its weakness.
This paragraph explains that HIS party is Leftist and explains the whole political situation since his predeccor who we can assume has more rightist politics.

The reuters say (http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSL1715002720070217)
"LEFTISTS who last year voted FOR Prime Minister Romano Prodi, an Iraq war OPPONENT, turned out in droves to DECRY his approval for U.S. plans to expand the base in Vicenza, home of the 173rd Airborne Brigade."
This one also explains the political relationship succinctly, but the ending with "home of the 173rd Airborne Brigade" adds way too much information to this story.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 8:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Republicans block a democratic attempt to stop sending troops to Iraq.

The Washington post article
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/17/AR2007021700247.html)
Spoke of numbers clearer than the AP article in the Boston Globe
(http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/17/house_rebukes_bush_on_troop_surge_plan/)

"Seventeen Republicans joined all but two House Democrats to vote for the resolution disapproving of Bush's decision to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq. The vote is the first time Congress has gone on record opposing the way the president is conducting the war in Iraq."

I had trouble understanding this because Of the "all BUT two." It passed me by while reading it, but in the Washington Post it said

"The vote in the House on Friday was 246-182, with 17 Republicans breaking ranks to support the measure and two Democrats voting in opposition."

This made it clear who voted on what and separated the two parties with AND to make it clearer.

I've also seen the number 21,500 so many times that I think it is unnecassary to say more than 20,000 to make it clearer. i think it is already clear.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Replacing the dollar bill with the dollar coin is again being debated. Many don't agree with it, but some say it will save money in printing costs

Story begins with a lead about how the last two attempts to convert the bill into the coin were not popular.
Two facts are given at the beginning one that describes the publics view through statistics and another from a rational and economic standpoint. The section concludes with a quote from a retiree who doesn't agree with the idea at all.
Chronology begins with a history of the dollar coin and then continues into its future.
The third section brings up a point that people don't like their money to change, even the penny. It then has a supporting fact gathered from statistics of Americans. The other point is also economic in nature parelling the second point of the lead, but it is more of a feeling or observation than a rational conclusion.

(lead)Two recent efforts to promote wide usage of a dollar coin proved unsuccessful. (Keeps you reading)But maybe Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea should not take public rejection personally.
It's not easy overcoming people's indifference to dollar coins, even those honoring such historic figures.

(Fact Block)An AP-Ipsos poll found that three-fourths of people surveyed oppose replacing the dollar bill, featuring George Washington, with a dollar coin. People are split evenly on the idea of having both a dollar bill and a dollar coin.

(Fact Block)A new version of the coin, paying tribute to American presidents, goes into general circulation Thursday. Even though doing away with the bill could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in printing costs, there is no plan to scrap the bill in favor of the more durable coin.

"I really don't see any use for it," Larry Ashbaugh, a retiree from Bristolville, Ohio, said of the dollar coin. "We tried it before. It didn't fly."

(Chronology) A quarter-century ago, the dollar coin showed feminist Susan B. Anthony on the front; then one in 2000 featuring Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian who helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition.
The latest dollar coin will bear Washington's image, followed later this year by those of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. A different president will appear on the golden dollar coins every three months.

(New point) People have strong feelings about their money, even the penny, which occasionally is threatened with elimination.

(Supporting Fact) When people were asked whether the penny should be eliminated, 71 percent said no, according to the poll of 1,000 adults conducted Nov, 28-30 that had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

(Supporting Fact) Some fear that getting rid of the penny will cause product prices to be rounded up, perhaps increasing inflation.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Water in Dakota and Wahington Counties are contaminated with PFBA, or perfluorobutanoic acid. It is not known how toxic the contaminant is.

This article from the Pioneer Press (http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/16673134.htm) is a public warning that this is what is going on in your community. It shows that legislation is being issued to research the water and that one resident in particular will not drink the water anymore.
It also informs readers of upcoming meetings to discuss water quality in that area.
I think this article is important to know about, because it is relater to health, but I did not see this article anywhere else.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Controversy over evolution was sparked by an exhibition later this year in Kenya of the oldest human skeleton ever discovered.

The challenge in this article is to not let your own beliefs come through, whether they be for or against the evolution theory. The Star Tribune article (http://www.startribune.com/722/story/993132.html) does this pretty well it quotes sources and attributes what they said and does not say that one idea is more correct.
Another story on a Christican paper (http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070208/25695_Ancient_Skeleton_Pits_Christians_Against_Scientists.htm) also does this ok, but they stray from the story after the first three paragraphs in order to let people know that their view can also be seen as rational. They mention that in the US their using science to prove the evolutionary theory, this way diverting a stereotype that the Kenyan evangelicals may perpetuate about ardent believers who might trash scientific evidence to remain correct.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Barack Obama announced that he will run for president in 2008. His wants change in America and says that change cannot happen until the Iraq War ends.

This story had a lot of substance to it and I think the challenge comes in letting the story bleed through without saying too much yourself. Obama declared himself to be officially running next election, he talked about many issues including health care, he talked of change in America and related it to the ending the Iraq War, and he also had a crowd of supposedly cold "braving" individuals.
The Star Tribune article from the LA Times (http://www.startribune.com/587/story/993969.html) did this beautifully. They just reported what happened and it was interesting enough.
But, the Pioneer Press's AP wiredarticle (http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16669542.htm) painted Obama as a rock star. I felt this took the seriousness away from the speech and was superfluous. I think the story was interesting when Obama was just running for president. Maybe, those feelings arose in her while watching the speech and she wanted to capture her state of mind, but I wonder how much of the crowd felt that way.
If this was a common phenomenon it maybe acceptable to give him this possibly unwanted character trait.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The first death sentence in North Dakota in one century occured when Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 53, was charged with killing Dru Sjodin, 22.

Catching the emotional atmosphere and the feelings of friends and relatives was the challenge in this article. I think both papers succeeded. The Pioneer Press' (http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/16656948.htm) first line captured the emotion and feelings of the courtroom in only 19 words. "They stood nervously waiting to tell the judge that a man must die for the killing of of Dru Sjodin."
The Star Tribune's lead (http://www.startribune.com/10086/story/989648.html) did not have the same draw to it, but the rest of the story was very moving as well, since they quoted some key lines from parents and friends of the victim during the trial.

This story was incredibly moving, I actually felt like crying a few times while reading it, I think both reporters did a good job at capturing the emotion of the victim's parents and friends.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Republicans are working to block a resolution that opposes sending troops to Iraq. It is "a vote of no confidence," Sen. John McCain said.
"I don't think it's appropriate to say that you disapprove of a mission and you don't want to fund it and you don't want it to go, but yet you don't take the action necessary to prevent it."

USA today,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-02-04-iraq-resolution_x.htm
and an AP writer,
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02/05/news/politics/2407163633.txt
explain the issue through quotes, so they do not put their own perspectives and opinions on the issue.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The head of the Hyundai Motor Group was sentenced to three years in jail leaving for embezzelment, hurting the company and country's economy.

The article,
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2007-02-05T074855Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-286367-2.xml, explains how the sentence of the Hyundia head effects the company as well as the countries' economy.

This article,
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070205/640000000020070205115343E6.html,
mostly sticks to how it will effect the company.

Posted by Nicholas Malec at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)