NewsTalk by Erik Williams

The Star Tribune's story on the death of a bicyclist is structured in the style of an inverted pyramid.

It begins with the freshest news in a generic format (i.e. a woman has died as the result of injuries sustained from a previous accident). The nut-graph then expands with more information including the victim's name, their time of death, and where they died. The story continues with more details, included a quote from the police, where the victim was taken (which hospital) and ends with more specific details about the victim and her injuries.

This is a very effective arrangement of facts as it gives the reader all the key elements of news right off the bat. The "who", "what", "where", "when", and "why" are answered within the first two paragraphs. The reader is then pulled into the story to found out the exact details of what happened, versus the general answers given in the nut-graph.

I feel that a story like this wouldn't need to be done in any other way. It's a news brief, and will not have a huge impact on the community (and thus does not need to be turned into a feature). This story was well written.

Posted by will2484 at 3:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Heavy metal legends Metallica are under criticism for the second album in a row after a recent string of attacks on the sound quality of the band's latest release, Death Magnetic.

Much like their previous album St. Anger, Metallica is being critiqued for low quality sound and not producing material up to the standard their status demands, Ultimate-guitar.com reports.

Though the album has sold over 2 million copies in its first week of availability, Ted Jensen, who mastered the album, has publicly stated his lack of pride in his involvement with the project.

Posted by will2484 at 3:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 51-year-old bicyclist has died after being hit by a bicycle in St. Paul on Saturday, reports the Star Tribune.

Virginia Heuerbowar was riding with a helmet when she was accidentally struck by a Minneapolis man at the intersection of Snelling and Summit avenues.

The Pioneer Press reported that the intersection is an area popular with bicyclists. Heuerbowar, who was taken to Regions Hospital, died seven hours after the accident.

Posted by will2484 at 3:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The federal government has unveiled plans to implement a $700 billion bailout plan to save several dying financial giants.

Key members of Congress have stated that an emergency proposal to save the ailing financial industry has been successfully transformed into a bill. Not only that, Fox News reports, but it is likely the bill will be passed by President Bush soon.

The bill will give Washington more power in their ability to control money in Wall Street as they will be buying up massive amounts of devalued assets and gaining management of said assets.

The House of Representatives will be voting on the bill as soon as Monday with the Senate soon to follow, according to CNN. The bill is being rushed in order to ensure the survival of the financial industry and allow for the almost stand-still credit market to resume.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., believes that a majority of legislators on both sides will support the bill. Other members of Congress has voiced their disagreement and lack of want in terms of approving the bill; however, they feel it is a necessary evil to help maintain the economy.

Posted by will2484 at 2:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A group of Somalian pirates seized a Ukrainian ship off the coast of Somalia this weekend, the BBC reports. The vessel, the MV Faina, was carrying 33 tanks and numerous amounts of ammunition to Kenya.

The terrorists have reportedly asked for $20 million in ransom money in order for the world to see the release of the crew members and the return of the ship's cargo.

The New York Times reports that the terrorists have vowed to fight to the death if need be, leading tensions to rise as the Somali officials seek to resolve the situation. They have even asked the Navy to send in commandos.

Talks between Somali and American and European forces have resulted in several strategies, though the Somali government thinks that after all the media attention this situation has received, it is doubtful the ransom will be paid. Instead, it is likely the terrorists will be met with guns and fire.

The ship is currently docked off the Somali coast between Xarardheere and Hobyo, an area known as a pirate den by locals. The situation remains unsolved.

Posted by will2484 at 2:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The BBC's story about Blink 182's ex-drummer Travis Barker surviving a fiery plane crash uses attribution in its lead. Right off the bat the reporter attributes information about Barker's expected survival and recovery to Barker's "doctor".

The story then gives information about the crash, and returns with specific information about Barker's wounds and condition given by a Dr. Fred Mullins.

After more quotes from Mullins, the story gives details of the plane crash and what may have caused it and provided air traffic controllers and officials as the source of that information.

Using new information about Barker's recovery and attributing it to his doctor is a smart tactic, because the reader is given not only new information, but also a credible source, for who would know more about Barker's recovery than his doctor?

Having information that includes details of the crash and reports of what may have caused it come from air traffic controllers makes sense, as they are in charge of watching over the planes at their airport and making sure things go smoothly. To get information from them on what exactly happened adds reliability to the story.

With the information he was presenting, the BBC journalist chose and used very reliable sources that add solidity to the story. He presents breaking news on the issue, and then gives trust-worthy quotes from the sources that would know best about the information he's presenting.

Posted by will2484 at 4:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Centuries after the debate over whether or not the world was flat or round was settled between the modern world explorers, there still exists a society of those who disagree.

They are called flat-earthers, some of which belong to the Flat Earth Society, the BBC reports.

Some of its theorists have different takes on their beliefs, much like any organization, and their beliefs vary from thinking that the earth is horizontally infinite to being roughly 25,000 miles in diameter. Much like the moon landing hoax conspiracy theorists, these flat-earthers believe that the photos of Earth from space are fakes.

While belief in a flat earth is nothing new and skepticism towards authority is not inherently bad, experts on the subject have said that it's about time the flat-earthers considered the overwhelming evidence that Earth is, in fact, a globe.

Posted by will2484 at 3:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An Anoka woman's death, previously ruled as the result of a motorcycle accident, has now been turned into a homicide investigation.

Authorites arrested Ryan P. Boland, 33, of Anoka as a suspect in the death of his former girlfriend Natasha L. Waalen, the Pioneer Press reported.. Waalen, 28, was found dead in the middle of a street in Andover lying next to a crashed motorcycle.

Upon further investigation, however, authorities deemed that her wounds did not match up with those of someone who would have died in such a crash. The Star Tribune reported that Waalen's friends and family were shocked at the arrest, as Boland was not only the boyfriend of Waalen, but also the father of her 4-year-old daughter.

At this point it is still uncertain what exactly killed Waalen, though the investigation is still ongoing. Boland, meanwhile, is being held in custody at the Anoka County Jail.

Posted by will2484 at 3:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A plane carrying two of Hollywood's A-listers crashed on Saturday killing four and leaving two critically injured.

The punk rock band Blink 182's former drummer Travis Barker, 32, and the ex-fiancee of Nicole Richie, and popular discjockey DJ AM (real name Adam Goldstein), 35, were the only survivors of the accident. The New York Times reported that those killed were Chris Baker, 29, Charles Still, 25, pilot Sarah Lemmon, and co-pilot James Bland, all of California.

The BBC said that Barker and Goldstein had been playing a show in Columbia, South Carolina, earlier under the name TRVSDJ-AM. Shortly after taxiing down the runway the plane experience what authorities are guessing was a tire blowout before coasting off the runway and erupting into flames.

While both Barker and Goldstein are expected to recover, doctors have said it is likely to take up to a year. Barker suffered second- and third-degree burns on the lower half of his body while Goldstein's hands, torso, and head sustained the majority of his injuries.

Posted by will2484 at 2:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yemeni terrorists attacked the U.S. Embassy of Yemen Wednesday morning, leaving 16 dead.

Among the dead were six Yemeni guards, four tourists waiting to be let into the embassy, and six of the attackers. No U.S. officials or embassy employees were hurt in the attack.

The New York Times reported that the attackers drove through the embassy's checkpoint and up to the front gates before detonating two car bombs and taking their own lives.

This assault on U.S.-owned property is the deadliest act of terrorism in years in Yemen. It came as a shock to natives as well as foreigners as it took place during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month in which Muslims are supposed to abstain from all sin.

Yemeni authorities have rounded up 25 suspects adds the BBC, and most of those arrested include militants and suspected Al-Qaeda members. They will now be subject to questioning by Yemeni interrogators.

Yemen, a U.S. ally in the war on terror, has historically been a hideout for Al-Qaeda members.

Posted by will2484 at 12:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following is a lead taken from a story posted by the BBC:

"A ferry has sunk near the north-western Turkish port of Bandirma, leaving at least one person dead, officials say."

The lead features several key components that should be incorporated in a lead. To start, it includes the who (a ferry), the what (it sunk), and the where (near the Turkish port of Bandirma). The story waits several paragraphs to explain the how and why, and leaves them out of the lead. All the key 'W''s answered in the lead are general, giving readers a quick read into what exactly happened. This is a somewhat good strategy, as readers are able to gather something serious happened, but will, in a way, be forced into continuing to read the writer's article to gain the rest of the facts. This ensures that articles are being read, and that readers are being informed.

Posted by will2484 at 4:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will be keeping a close eye on the new I-35W bridge after the collapse of the old one, a disaster that struck due to year of negligence in terms of repairs and structural inspection.

The Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports that the new bridge, scheduled to be finished months in advance of its December deadline, will not only be incredibly structurally sound, but also contain hundreds of sensors to allow inspectors a glance at how the bridge is holding up on a moment-by-moment basis.

Engineers will no longer have to rely on information taken from yearly inspections, but can instead check how the bridge is holding up under stress from traffic, weather elements, and the various chemicals that come into contact with the bridge in regard to anti-icing agents and beyond.

The $235 million bridge will be one of the most complex bridges in the country because of these sensors and, with the ability to keep a constant eye on it, certainly one of the safest.

Posted by will2484 at 7:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bloominton, MN has become the site of recent conflict over senior housing. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on Sunday that the suburb, home to over 80,000, has more citizens over 60 than it does under 20. That figure has prompted some to action in seeking to expand the Martin Luther Manor, an assisted living home for the elderly.

The plan to expand the manor comes despite the expansions of four other assisted living homes in the city. While those in the nursing home business see a need to expand, many citizens, both fair- and silver-haired alike, are in opposition to the idea.

They view the project as an interference in their daily lives and unnecessary, even with population forecasts indicating that Bloomington, and its citizens, are only getting older.

For now, the opposition is mostly made up of yard signs and a few disgruntled Bloomingtonians that live near the nursing home. An attorney has been hired to represent their case, however, and time will only tell where this issue will go.

Posted by will2484 at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's camp recently reported he had raised $66 million in August to spend on his campaign. The funds set a new record for the candidate, beating out the $55 million he was able to raise in February, Fox News reports.

Obama was able to reach the astronomical figure with the help of 500,000 new donors said campaign spokesperson Bill Burton.

While Obama has declined aid from public financing, his rival, Arizona senator and Republican candidate John McCain, continues to campaign with the limited budget of $84 million that public financing allows.

Posted by will2484 at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Conflict sprung up recently in Bolivia between its government and its people. The fighting stems as the result of conflicting interests between President Evo Morales' plans for his country and those of several of Bolivia's regional governors.

Beyond just giving a voice to the large number of indigenous peoples throughout the country, Morales plans include a re-distribution of wealth the BBC reports.

Several violent clashes have left 28 people dead and prompted Morales to declare martial law in the Pando province where 10 of his supporters were found "massacred". The New York Times reported that part of the problem between Morales and his governors is a demand by the regional authorities for greater autonomy in their provinces, a demand that Morales has been hesitant to meet.

Though talks were held on Saturday between Morales and Gov. Mario Cossio of the Tarija province, no major decisions were reached and no key issues were solved.

Posted by will2484 at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)