Luke Peterson

Analysis: The uncomfortable truth about American wages

2012-12-09T21:51:51Z

In this article, the author used sets of data produced over the past four decades to analyze trends in earnings among Americans. The data shows that there has been decline in wages (adjusted for inflation) since 1970, especially for male workers. Unemployment and other factors have contributed to this.
The connection between higher wages and education is also featured in the article, and the data that the author presents shows that the percentage of males with a college degree has barely increased in the past 30 years, while the percentage of females with a degree has grown rapidly, surpassing the percentage of males in the 1990s.
The data that the author uses was gathered from the US Census, and is presented in graphs which illustrate the trends that have emerged in earnings and education among Americans ages 25-64. These graphs are very useful and help the reader to understand the trends that the author is writing about. The earnings are adjusted to coincide with the value of the dollar in 2010, which makes the stagnated standard of living for American workers over the past 40 years clear.
The author of the story is the director of the Hamilton project, which produced the study. The only computer skill required in this article is the ability to produce a graph which shows trends over time. The graphs allow the reader to get the gist of the story by simply examining them. There are also links within the story that the reader can click on if he wants to learn more about these trends.

Dallas Cowboys player dies in car accident

2012-12-09T01:39:10Z

Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent is being held without bail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter after his teammate, Jerry Brown, was killed in a one-car accident early Saturday morning, AP said.
Brent was behind the wheel when the accident occurred at approximately 2:20 a.m. in Irving, Texas. Police said that the vehicle hit a curb and flipped. When police arrived at the scene, the vehicle was on fire, and Brent was dragging Brown from the vehicle, AP reported.
Brown was taken to the hospital, and pronounced dead, CNN said.
Investigators said that the vehicle was traveling about 900 feet after hitting the curb.
Brent was booked into Irving County Jail on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison, CNN reported.

US fears that Syrian government will resort to chemical weapons

2012-12-07T15:09:18Z

The conflict in Syria is accelerating and at least 89 people were killed on Thursday, CNN said. US officials are concerned that the Syrian government will resort to the use of chemical weapons as rebel forces advance, the article said.
According to sources within the state department, Syria may be loading warheads with chemical weapons, the National Post reported.
If the governing regime decides to resort to these extreme measures, the United States has indicated that it will intervene.
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has denied the allegations that Syria would use their chemical weapons. He also warned that any outside intervention into the conflict would result in catastrophic consequences for the entire region, CNN reported.

Minnesota orchestra reports record deficit

2012-12-07T01:56:21Z

The Minnesota Orchestra reported a $6 million deficit for 2012, the Star Tribune said.
The report accounts for the orchestra's expenditures through Aug. 31 of 2012.
The musicians of the orchestra have been locked out since Oct. 1, after rejecting an offer that would have reduced the average musician's salary by approximately $45,000.
All concerts for the fall and winter have been canceled, the Star Tribune reported.
The deficit is the highest reported by the orchestra in its 110-year history. Although the orchestra has been losing money and the musicians remain locked out, a $50 million renovation to the orchestra's home venue, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis is moving forward, the Pioneer Press reported.
Reasons for the increased deficit include a decrease in ticket sales, and a contractually mandatory pay increase to musicians in recent years, the Pioneer Press said.

Line of Mac computers to be produced in the US next year

2012-12-06T18:13:27Z

The CEO of Apple has announced that the company will invest more than $100 million to bring production of Mac computers to the United States next year, the Wall Street Journal said.
Chief executive Tim Cook has expressed the desire to focus some of the company's production domestically, as Apple and other computer companies have come under scrutiny in recent years for outsourcing the production of their products to Asia.
Additional criticism has come this year regarding the working conditions in Asian factories where Apple's products are produced, AP reported.
In an interview with NBC, Cook said that the reason that Apple's products are assembled overseas is not because of the lower costs associated with outsourcing, but because the skills required to produce his company's products are not present in America anymore, AP said.
It is not clear which products will be a part of this investment into domestic manufacturing, but Cook has made this a priority for the company in 2013.

Man suspected of killing police officer is released from jail

2012-12-05T04:00:55Z

The man arrested on suspicion of murdering a Cold Spring police officer last Thursday has been released from jail without charges, the Pioneer Press said.
Ryan Michael Larson, 34, had been held in the Stearns County Jail since Thursday night, when officer Tom Decker was shot and killed on the street below Larson's apartment.
Larson was released because prosecutors were unable to establish probable cause that he committed the crime, the Pioneer Press said.
The weapon used in the killing has not been found, and Larson has maintained his innocence. He told the St. Cloud Times that police had arrested the wrong man in a phone interview while he was still in jail.
On Tuesday night, more than one thousand people gathered at officer Decker's visitation service in Cold Spring, KARE 11 reported.
With no evidence to charge the lone suspect in the officer's killing, the investigation continues.

Fiscal cliff talks remain at a stalemate

2012-12-03T06:06:30Z

Congress remains at a standstill as time is running out to come to an agreement about what to do about the tax increases set to kick in at the end of the year, CNN reported.
The "fiscal cliff" is fast-approaching, and with it comes an estimated $7 trillion worth of tax increases and spending cuts over the next decade, according to CNN.
Among the issues being debated is the Bush tax cuts for top incomes, which Treasury Secretary Timothy Giethner says "must go."
Policy makers have been unable to come up with a compromise to avoid a possible recession which would require the government to raise federal debt ceiling from its current level of over $16 trillion.
House Speaker John Bohner has confirmed that the negotiations have "gone nowhere" but that republicans are willing to agree to tax increases by closing tax breaks, but not by raising taxes, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Officials hope to come to an agreement before the Jan. 2 deadline.

Police officer shot and killed in Cold Spring

2012-12-01T19:10:41Z

Police officer Tom Decker was shot and killed on Thursday night in Cold Spring, the Pioneer Press reports.
Decker was responding to a report of a suicidal person in an apartment on Main Street in Cold Spring. When he arrived, Decker was ambushed, The Star Tribune said.
Ryan Michael Larson, 34, was taken into custody and is being held in the Stearns County Jail on the suspicion of murdering a police officer.
Larson was attending a local community college, and lived in an apartment on top of Winner's Bar. The shooting happened behind the bar, the Star Tribune reported.
Police are still looking for the murder weapon, which they believe to be a 20-gauge shotgun, the Pioneer Press said.

NBA fines San Antonio Spurs

2012-12-01T18:34:46Z

The San Antonio Spurs were fined $250,000 on Friday for not playing their top stars in a televised game versus the Miami Heat, the Chicago Tribune said.
The team failed to notify the league and the media about their decision to not bring Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Tony Parker on their trip to Miami, commissioner David Stern said.
This decision was a violation of a league policy designed to discourage teams from resting players in a manner that is "contrary to league interests," the New York Times said.
Stern said that the team cheated the league and the fans by failing to make their best players available for the game,
San Antonio coach Greg Popovich has rested his veteran stars in recent seasons, citing a desire to keep them fresh for the playoffs. The game was the team's fourth road game in five nights. According to the New York Times, Popvich felt that his choice was "the best thing for our team."
This incident was the first time in which a team has been penalized for resting certain players.

Record Powerball jackpot

2012-11-28T17:43:54Z

The prize for Wednesday night's Powerball drawing will be at least $500 million, USA Today reported.
The jackpot is the highest amount ever for Powerball, and the second-biggest lottery jackpot ever. In March, a Mega Millions jackpot reached a staggering $656 million.
The odds of selecting the correct six number combination for the Powerball are only about 1 in 175 million. Those figures have not discouraged millions of players from purchasing tickets at $2 apiece.
Ticket sales on the day of the drawing typically account for 60 percent of the total amount sold, according to lottery officials, who expect that more than 6 million tickets will be sold per hour on Wednesday.
If taken as a lump sum, Wednesday's winning ticket could be cashed out for approximately $327 million after taxes, the Chicago Tribune said.

Hundreds of thousands gather to protest in Cairo

2012-11-28T03:44:26Z

In a scene resembling last year's Egyptian revolution, approximately 200,000 people have gathered in Tahir Square to protest the ruling regime, the Globe and Mail reported.
The protest was sparked by a decree made by President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday which protects his decisions from court challenges until the country's new constitution is drafted, Ahram Online reported.

Analysis: Diversity

2012-11-19T03:39:55Z

A feature story published by the Baltimore Sun last week highlights the ten year anniversary of the Howard County Muslim Council. The group was the first of its kind in Maryland, and its objective from the start has been to present the true image of Islam and to encourage Muslims to become involved in their communities. The author of the story makes mention to the fact that the group was founded while the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were fresh in the public's mind. He also mentions the group's goal of attaining equality for Muslims within the community. These are the only instances in which stereotyping is referenced, and the reporter presents the many areas in which the group has flourished and benefited the community over the past ten years as a way of moving past the stereotype.
The reporter's sources include two senators from Maryland, the founder of the council, the council's current president, and a member of the group. Senator Jim Robey was one of the first officials to meet with Anwer Hasan (founder of the council) to discuss the formation of the group ten years ago. He praised the council for following through with their objective. The other senator, Allan Kittleman, acknowledged the positive impact that the council has had on the community as a whole.
This story about a movement to empower local Muslims to get involved in their communities rarely makes mention of stereotypes associated with the group. Instead, it highlights the contributions that a particular cultural group has made to a community.

Soccer team saved by world's richest man

2012-11-18T01:51:59Z

Carlos Slim, a telecommunications tycoon with an estimated net worth of $69 billion, will become the majority shareholder of the Spanish soccer team Real Oviedo, the New York Times reports.
The team was in danger of insolvency, and needed to raise nearly 2 million euros by midnight on Saturday in order to stay afloat, Businessweek said.
Slim acquired controlling stake (30 percent) of the team for 2 million euros.
Earlier this fall, Slim purchased stakes of 30 percent in two Mexican soccer teams.
The New York Times reported that slim plans "to create synergies and exchanges between Spanish, Mexican and Latin American football."
The team has a fan base of 20,000 supporters, and until recent years of hardship, had been a first-division team. Their struggles have demoted them to third-tier level.

Israel considers ground invasion of Gaza

2012-11-17T01:33:39Z

Israeli and Palestinian forces exchanged airstrikes for a third straight day on Friday, prompting Israel to threaten a ground invasion of Gaza if rocket attacks on Israel do not stop, the LA Times reported.
The Israeli government has drafted 16,000 troops and authorized the mobilization of 75,000 reservists.
Rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel's two largest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Friday, and while neither rocket hit its mark, Israel considers this to be a major escalation in the conflict, MSNBC reported.
The recent surge of violence began on Wednesday when Israel killed Ahmed Jabari, Hamas' military mastermind.

Hostess to close

2012-11-16T20:20:43Z

The company behind Wonder Bread and Twinkies is set to close down, following a failed attempt to cut the wages and benefits of its bakery workers, the New York Times reports.
The company announced on Friday that it is asking a federal court for permission to close operations. If Hostess closes, nearly 18,500 workers will lose their jobs, CNN reports.
Hostess will likely sell their assets, which would mean that some of their products could continue to be produced.
A baker's strike has prompted the closing of the iconic company. Hostess had given the baker's union a deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday to return to work or face a shutdown of the company, CNN reported.
A new contract which would have cut the worker's wages and benefits was rejected by the union in September.