New York Times Reading Log - 14 (Thursday's Paper)

The front page in today's New York Times had a story about George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch coordinator in Florida who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, being charged with second-degree murder by a special prosecutor.  It is gratifying to see this case coming to some kind of a resolution.  It was nice to see the family of Martin on the front page, having received justice for the loss of their son.  This shooting was a true tragedy, and it is nice to see a resolution.  Additionally, this is a prime example of the power of Twitter, and online media, and the medium's role in news reporting, and social justice causes.  Martin's case received a great deal of attention on Twitter.  The power of the hashtag, and the rapid spreadability of news on Twitter is totally redefining news media.  Martin's case is an example of this great shift.

Additionally, the story about North Korea being poised to launch a long range missile, despite worldwide resistance from other nations continues to concern.  North Korea continues to pose a grave threat on a world scale.   If they continue to be as unresponsive to diplomacy from other world leaders as they have been, and with Kim Jong-un set to take over the helm after his father, that should be the case, this could become a real issue. 

New York Times Reading Log - 13

Awesome issue of the New York Times today.  There were a ton of interesting articles in today's paper.

One that I found particularly interesting was the front page article by Jenna Wortham about Facebook's billion dollar buyout of Instagram, an online photo sharing website that is used specifically on mobile devices.  This is cool because it demonstrates just how far we have moved in the technological world away from home computers and toward mobile devices.  Facebook is becoming quite the force to be reckoned with in the Internet world, as they demonstrated in this aggressive business move.  It's almost like Facebook is flexing it's muscles at the rest of the online world, but hey why shouldn't they?  With a net worth estimated at $100, they can afford to make billion dollar buyouts like this.

The Times made great use of diagrams, charts, and other visual stimuli in today's issue.  I loved the article in the Science Times section about the new findings surrounding the Titanic's sinking.  It was very interesting to find that causes other than the much maligned iceberg may have been to blame for the tragedy.  That article had several great visuals that really helped the article come to life.  Additionally, the article about Romney vs. Obama utilized some humorous caricatures of the soon-to-be Presidential candidates.  Also, the article in the Business section about the proposed increase in minimum wage used an illustrated map of the US, with figures showing each state's minimum wage to help drive home the point.

As someone who will probably be back to my menial job at the movie theater over the coming summer, this rise would be much appreciated.  

New York Times Reading Log - 12

The picture on the front page of today's Times is one of the most interesting and intense I have seen in a while.  The picture, which shows wounded American soldiers lying in the streets of Maimana following a fatal Afghan bombing, really demonstrates the violence and intensity of military action in the Middle East.  It is quite a shift from the usual front page cover, which is usually less intense.  I was immediately drawn to this picture when I picked up the paper.

I was interested in the article about the genetic mutations that have been proven to have a link in Autism.  What was particularly disturbing about this article, was the fact it stated, that 1 in 88 people are diagnosed with aspergers disease, or similar autism related social disorders.

I wouldn't say that I expected Deadmau5 to be on the front page of the New York Times.  As a huge music fan, I liked seeing the article below the fold on the front page about the enormous surge that electronic music has made in recent years.  I thought it was especially interesting that Wall Street is seeing the growing musical genre as a lucrative opportunity.        

New York TImes Reading Log - 11

I was interested in the front page article in today's New York Times about Mitt Romney winning 3 more states, with victories in Washington DC, Maryland, and Wisconsin.  It is certainly starting to look like it's curtains for Rick Santorum.  Romney seems to have taken a firm grip on the Republican primary now, (as if he hadn't already) and it looks as though Santorum's comeback bid has been all but quashed.

Romney seems pretty sure of this.  He's turned his attention toward Obama, blaming him for the economic strife of the past few years in a recent speech that he was to deliver.  Suddenly Santorum doesn't seem like such an important opponent.

I also found the article about China's pay-for-coverage system to be a very interesting read.  I had no idea that China's press was like this.  I had an inkling about the way in which they censor journalism, but I had never realized the extent to which their journalistic standards were corrupted.  

Additionally, I enjoyed the article about Kentucky University's starting 5 Basketball players, who are all expected to enter the NBA draft after winning a NCAA Title, after only a year (or in some cases 2) of college.  This just goes to show that the NBA's rule in place that requires players to attend college for a year before entering the league is counterintuitive and ridiculous.  What is the point?  So that players can slack off for a year before joining the NBA?  Yeah, that definitely makes them more well rounded.

Fluffy's Great Escape

A dangerous spotted leopard is suspected to have escaped from the Durham Zoo on last night and has still not been found.

When employees opened the zoo this morning, they found the cage of Fluffy, the zoo's Romanian spotted leopard, vacant.

"When we opened the zoo at 7:30 this morning and began feeding the animals, we immediately noticed that Fluffy was missing," said Gerry Durrell, the director of the Durham Zoo.  "We have no idea what time Fluffy escaped or where she went."

Durrell said that the last time Fluffy was seen, she was in her cage when the zoo closed at 9 p.m. last night.  He also pointed out that when the leopard's empty cage was discovered, nothing appeared to have been tampered with or broken.

"We love that cat, and we don't want to lose her," Durrell said, tearing up.

Kitty Smith, the Durham Zoo's chief biologist warned that Fluffy is "extremely dangerous" and will attack if provoked.  She also warned of the spotted leopard's appetite for young children.

"Fluffy is a wonderful, warm, gentle cat who has never hurt anyone," Smith said. "But if these cats are cornered -- or encountered on a dark night -- their defense is to kill, and to kill quickly."

Smith cautioned that Fluffy will instinctively "kill now, ask later," and advises anyone who encounters the leopard to lay still on the ground.  She said that this tactic should prevent any attack from the leopard, who is most likely to attack if she senses fear.

The Durham Police have begun a systematic search of the zoo, and will extend the search outward throughout Durham until Fluffy is recovered.  Police Chief William Blair said that their hope is to bring Fluffy back alive.

"If possible, Fluffy will be shot with a tranquilizer gun."  Blair said, "But if necessary, we will shoot to kill."

The police have teamed up with the National Guard, the New Hampshire State Police, and the State Wildlife Department in their search.  The National Guard has contributed helicopters equipped with infrared sensors. Chief Blair said that if Fluffy is not found before nightfall, their search will become much more difficult.

"These cats are nearly impossible to0 find in the dark,"Blair said.  "They can see everything and we are blind."

Zoo-goers were upset with the leopard's escape.

Patronkis quote... 

Possible Profile

For an upcoming article in Main Street Magazine, I am writing a profile piece about a UNH student named Max Auger who is the only male dance major on the UNH campus.  I think that this would be an interesting article to read because of the uncommon nature of his position as a male dancer.  The article will discuss Auger's path toward choosing dance as a major, as well as the way in which he has dealt with the social implications of being a man in a major that is predominately female.

What is also interesting about Auger's story is that he never even started in ballet until his Freshman year in college.  According to the girls he dances with, and his instructor, he has improved immensely since he first started, though he claims he still has a long way to go.  

I believe that this could be a very interesting and readable profile piece, given Auger's unique position. 

New York Times Reading Log - 10

One story that I found particularly interesting in today's New York Times was Justin Gillis and Joanna M. Foster's article about the insane weather the world has been experiencing over the last few weeks, or as the article calls it, "weather weirding."  Specifically, the aspect of the article that grabbed my attention was the part about the way in which trees that began to bloom early because of the warm weather may now be in danger because temperatures have dropped so far back down.

Last week, I wrote an article about the odd weather we have been receiving and one of the people I talked to as a source was Ron Christie, a Program Coordinator of UNH Agriculture Resources.  He warned of the weather fluctuation's negative effects on crop growth.  "All of this growth could be killed with a severe frost," Christie told me.  "The big danger is what could happen to fruit trees.  Fruit buds could be damaged or killed.  This could mean significantly lower fruit tree production this year," he said.  I found it very interesting, on a personal level, that my story and the research I did for the article, coincided with today's article in the Times. 

Another story that struck my interest was the front page article about the death of famous American poet Adrienne Rich.  I have read a few of Rich's poems in my literature classes here at UNH.  One that always stood out was her poem, Power.  It's sad to see the passing of such a literary great.

Lastly, I am an enormous fan of AMC's TV series Mad Men.  Like all other fans of the show, I am very excited that Don Draper and his crazy crew of Madison Avenue Ad men are back after a nearly 2 year hiatus.  I loved the season premiere, which aired this past Sunday, and in today's Times, there was an interesting article that appeared on page A20 that revolved around a particularly controversial scene from that episode.  

Evidently, the opening scene from the episode, which depicted a group of immature Madison Avenue employees dropping paper bags filled with water from their office in a high-rise building onto a group of African American protesters in the street, was taken directly from an article on the front page in a 1966 issue of the New York Times.  I thought that was really cool.  Even more interesting is that the reporter who wrote the story, John Kifner, doesn't even remember writing the article after all those years.  It's interesting what years of reporting will do to a person.