A.Minelli

In the PBS program "Frontline," I learned many new things about technology -- both positive and negative aspects.

For me, technology has always seemed like a positive thing. Even on a simple Web search site, like Google, I know I'll be able to find things like directions, a specific passage from a book, the summary of a novel, others' opinions, and information on virtually anything. Basically, I know I can rely on the Web to give me the information I'm looking for.

However, the way that Asia's digital culture used media, I see it more as a negative. I had no idea that such large problems of "gaming" existed, with people literally letting gaming take over their entire time and life. As Doug Rushkoff states, "The net has changed from what one does, to what one is." To the people who cannot control their technology, this may be true. But to me, the media are not who I am; I am who I am -- with the help of technology to make life easier.

I feel that in some aspects this PBS program represents my generation of digital media, but not to the extent that they make it out to be.

For example, I totally agree that I multi-task. I feel that I have to, in order to get everything done. In my opinion, as society advances and expects each generation to be able to do more things, technology is simply developing in order to keep up with these demands that our professors, parents and the competition around the world bring on us. We are expected to take "X" number of credits, have a job, volunteer and be well-rounded in athletics or the arts, and somehow still have time for fun?
However, critics argue that Web sites like Google are actually bad for children. By being able to find information like book reviews (to save time), it decreases the level of reading and writing. Multi-tasking results in a decrease in writing, so that students tend to only write in "paragraphs of thought," not connecting each paragraph's meaning (due to outside world distractions).

Overall, although the Internet is a large part of my life, I disagree that most students are as "high-tech" as this movie shows. I may be glued to my cell phone, but I am definitely not attached to the computer or other media devices so that I can't put them down. I agree completely with Sherry Turkle that "technology isn't good or bad, it's powerful and complicated."

The leads for these stories are both very different. The way in which MSNBC introduces President Obama's inaugural address is in an attractive and fame based ideal. This lead was a very appealing way to introduce something that the "less political" audience may find in some way attractive. This speech primarily focused on exactly what the lead set it up to be, a celebrity-like appeal to the younger and more "hip" audience (comparable to President John Kennedy). This article focused on a majority of celebrities that attended, Obama's two young girls showing off their dance moves as well as the president himself having a fun and romanticized night. The writer also notes the negatives to nights like this with long lines, coat checks and not very appealing food.
The way in which the writer sets this story up is to show the fun in events like his inauguration, but then slightly emphasizing the work that will begin the morning after this fun night.

The lead for the ABC news gave a way different tone than that of MSNBC. ABC news emphasized the "burden" that Obama would have once obtaining presidency. They quoted Obama reinstating that we are in a time of a crisis, with our nation at war and a weakened economy.
The writer used this lead to set up the ways in which Obama addressed solutions to these problems. With this, he used a very inspirational quote that set up this metaphor perfectly: "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America."

The writer then focuses in on one of Obama's most important "themes" and mentions that the way in which Obama presents himself is similar to that of President Kennedy.
Overall although both of these pieces covered the inaugural address, the information that was given had a lot of variation in what these two writers focused on. Both writers covered very different angles, which drew attention to different types of readers. MSNBC would seem to be more appealing to the "younger" or more "celebrity-based" individual. Whereas the ABC piece might appeal to the more factual, political or historical-based audience that wants to know changes that will be made.

Abc news: By JOHN COCHRAN
Msbc news: By Associated Press (AP style)

Lead: You can see it at the waterfront Olympic cauldron, transformed overnight from something more like a prison yard into a proud public square.

This introduction in my opinion is a very eye-catching and more so an interest-getting lead. This lead makes me as a reader think of the Olympics in a different way than I have before in the sense that these athletes and people are the ones that make this typical and almost "prison [looking] yard" into something great and meaningful. However the great visual that it gives, it didn't really interest me to read more.

As I continued to read throughout the article, I found that the story was actually really inspiring and a good way to summarize the halfway point of the Vancouver Olympics. But the lead didn't do it justice, in my opinion. This article summarizes both the positive and negative aspects of the Olympics thus far and I feel that the introduction should have included something like that to really get the reader interested. Although the five w's (who, what, when, where and why/how) can't really be included into this broad topic, other aspects, I feel, could have. Such as when: when the Olympics were taking place or where: where they are located. The title is very good and I feel if the lead reflected more of the title, it would be more successful.

Lead: You can see it at the waterfront Olympic cauldron, transformed overnight from something more like a prison yard into a proud public square.

This introduction in my opinion is a very eye-catching and more so an interest-getting lead. This lead makes me as a reader think of the Olympics in a different way than I have before in the sense that these athletes and people are the ones that make this typical and almost "prison [looking] yard" into something great and meaningful. However the great visual that it gives, it didn't really interest me to read more.

As I continued to read throughout the article, I found that the story was actually really inspiring and a good way to summarize the halfway point of the Vancouver Olympics. But the lead didn't do it justice, in my opinion. This article summarizes both the positive and negative aspects of the Olympics thus far and I feel that the introduction should have included something like that to really get the reader interested. Although the five w's (who, what, when, where and why/how) can't really be included into this broad topic, other aspects, I feel, could have. Such as when: when the Olympics were taking place or where: where they are located. The title is very good and I feel if the lead reflected more of the title, it would be more successful.

Lead: You can see it at the waterfront Olympic cauldron, transformed overnight from something more like a prison yard into a proud public square.

This introduction in my opinion is a very eye-catching and more so an interest-getting lead. This lead makes me as a reader think of the Olympics in a different way than I have before in the sense that these athletes and people are the ones that make this typical and almost "prison [looking] yard" into something great and meaningful. However the great visual that it gives, it didn't really interest me to read more.

As I continued to read throughout the article, I found that the story was actually really inspiring and a good way to summarize the halfway point of the Vancouver Olympics. But the lead didn't do it justice, in my opinion. This article summarizes both the positive and negative aspects of the Olympics thus far and I feel that the introduction should have included something like that to really get the reader interested. Although the five w's (who, what, when, where and why/how) can't really be included into this broad topic, other aspects, I feel, could have. Such as when: when the Olympics were taking place or where: where they are located. The title is very good and I feel if the lead reflected more of the title, it would be more successful.

Lead:
Bakuriani, Georgia (CNN) -- The 21-year-old Georgian luger who propelled to his death after sliding off the track during an Olympic practice run in Vancouver was laid to rest in his hometown Saturday.

I really like this lead and the way that the reporter wrote it. This lead gives us a clear summary of the main facts that a reader would want to know. It gives the who: a Georgian luger. It also doesn't include this luger's name, which was a good decision due to the fact that the average reader would not be able to identify him if they did. It gives the what: stating the significance and impact this story has to the readers. It tells us when: when his funeral is, therefore making the reader want to continue reading about when the actual death took place. Where: saying how it occurred at the Vancouver Olympics. It also includes the how: how this dramatic death came about (sliding off of the track).

The Star Tribune reported that the controversial full-body scanners are now headed to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). They are expected to arrive sometime either next summer or early fall. These scanners have been the big talk ever since the close call of an explosive making its way on board a Northwest aircraft on Christmas day. A man hid the explosive in his underwear. This bomb-scare situation, officials say, could have been completely prevented if airport security had these scanners in place. Now, the only thing that remains to keep these scanners from being installed is the time it takes to make them and all the renovation and remodeling that must be done in order to make this security system possible. Other than that, the issue of consumer privacy seems to have been overshadowed when compared to issues of safety. Luckily, as of now, these scanners won't be used on the everyday passengers, only those with more high-profile accounts.

This news has a large impact on a great number of people in the region because the airport is used by people from throughout the state and Upper Midwest. This shows some of the new and somewhat surprising ways in which airport security will be changing within just a matter of months. This system has caused some conflict, however, with the debate over privacy issues involving security personnel seeing through consumers' clothing. Drama and emotion could also be present because of this.

With CBS news closely following the Haiti earthquake that occurred on Jan. 12, new death-toll estimates have emerged. On the day of this tragedy, the Haiti government estimated 150,000 dead. But as of now the death toll is 230,000 and counting. There are many bodies being uncovered every day, which will continue tot increase the death toll. The number of fatalities may never be known for certain, because an unknown number of bodies have been buried by family members and have not been counted by the government. Aside from this growing death toll, there were more than 300,000 injured, including some 4,000 amputees. Disease, violence, malnutrition and infection are also still large problems that continue to affect Haiti's death toll.

Issues of immediacy continue in Haiti, with factors such as getting proper food, water and necessities to people for survival. The horrible tragedy has had a significant impact on not only Haiti, but the rest of the world. Nations throughout the world have been reacting by sending food, supplies and medical personnel to Haiti. This shocking event, the magnitude of which is difficult to comprehend, has resulted in some positive, uplifting stories of people being found in the rubble, and acts of heroism among the rescuers. A large aspect of this story lies within the emotion that these people are dealing with. Many families lost loved ones and many people all around the world are feeling this sense of pain and suffering due to this earthquake.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that a drunken man stole an ambulance from a Wisconsin man inside.

According to the Shakopee Valley News, within the past two years (2007-2009) Minnesota has seen an increase in the number of people who do not have health insurance. A telephone survey was conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health along with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, which showed the increase is due mainly to people losing their employee health care plans. With all of the rising problems of unemployment, the topic of health care reform remains prominent. While people losing their jobs in Minnesota and elsewhere affects health care coverage, factors such as race and age are also significant.

The proximity of this news event, being within the state of Minnesota has a great deal of interest to me as a reader. The impact of people within Minnesota being uninsured makes this a huge issue, as well as my age and racial identity on this topic of health care. The proposed health care reform plan causes issues of discrepancy and thus elements of conflict are present. Emotional aspects are also very likely due to the large and increasing number of individuals dealing with this issue.