Last day of class Fall 2008

Good luck, everybody!

Eat a Grape, Nicole Richie

Example of a speech story

Hi Everybody -- Remember, for class Wednesday: Write a lively paragraph or so with information about one or both of the speeches/events we plan to attend on Thursday, Sept. 11 by poet John Ashbery at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall and by Kenneth Feinberg, who directed the $7 billion fund created by Congress to assist the families of those killed or injured in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at 4:30 p.m. in the Goodell Bernie Dallas Room. Each person only has to attend ONE of these.
We'll also discuss what you need to include in your speech story and an example of a speech story (see both below). After, we'll look at what you've posted on the blog prompted by the word "ridiculous."
Speech story (650-750 words) due next Wednesday, Sept. 17.

SPEECH PAPER ESSENTIALS
1) The lead should get to the heart of the event -- NOT just say it occurred.
2) Include in the first few sentences of the story --what the occasion was, -- who sponsored it, --where it was held and -- how many attended.
3) Nutgraph: This takes the reader beyond the lead and sums up in a few sentences the major points the speaker made or the basic gist of his/her argument/case/presentation.
4) Body of story: Take the reader through the points that the speaker made in support of his or her case/main point/argument/presentation. Provide specific examples and direct quotes.
5) Interview 3-4 people who attended for their reaction/thoughts.

Example of a speech story:

Thomas: Press 'finally coming out of coma'
BY MARY CAREY STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 29, 2006
AMHERST - In more than 50 years 'before the mast' as a political reporter, Helen Thomas kept her opinions out of her copy.

Now a syndicated columnist, she's supposed to tell people what she thinks, the dean of the White House press corps told an audience of about 75 people Wednesday at the University of Massachusetts.

Since the foremost question on her mind is why the press is not holding the president responsible for having deceived the country about going to war, that is what she intended to talk about.

'Happily, I think the press is finally coming out of its coma, slowly,' she said. But reporters did not ask tough questions in the lead-up to the American invasion of Iraq, she maintains.

A lively hour-long question-and-answer session with Thomas, who is in her mid-80s, was one of the opening events of a three-day seminar on the future of journalism, sponsored by the Media Giraffe Project at UMass.

Thomas knows what goes on at Washington, D.C., press conferences because, for a very long time, she stood sentry there. As a longtime wire services reporter, Thomas occupied a front-row seat at press events during nine presidencies, often getting to ask the first question.

In recent years, the feisty reporter has been reassigned to a seat in the back and is rarely called upon.

Thomas recalled being in the back of the room in the days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She said she was 'fuming.' She prodded fellow journalists to ask the president why the country was going to war. 'And no one did,' she said. 'They asked him, 'Do you pray?' '

'Reporters, I believe, helped pave the way for the U.S. disaster in Iraq,' Thomas said.

The media, like much of the public, has been 'cowed' since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. People are afraid of seeming unpatriotic, she said, and have somehow accepted the argument that they should not question the president when the country is at war. 'There lies the fallacy,' Thomas said.

She has written a book on the subject, 'Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public.' She signed copies of the book after her talk. As the blurb on the book cover from The Washington Post put it, 'No wonder presidents have shuddered at this woman's approach for four decades!'

Sandra Howell, of Hampden, a retired professor from Springfield Technical Community College, told the audience how she and colleague Roberta Albano of Wilbraham, first encountered Thomas in a Washington hotel lobby in 2002. Thomas was talking about the coming war, said Howell, who attended Wednesday's talk with Albano.

'Was I raving?' the wry Thomas asked.

'Yes,' Howell said. 'And I want everyone to know this was before the war.'

It was the first time Howell had heard someone express skepticism about the reasons for going to war, she said. 'I was appalled,' she said.

Since then, she has had two sons go to war and return. 'We still argue about it,' she said. 'Both of them are very patriotic.'

Shava Nerad of Somerville, a conference participant waiting in line to have Thomas sign her book, recalled seeing the grande dame of the press on television over 40 years ago. At the time, she said, her mother pointed to Thomas and told her: 'See, you can do anything.'

Hearing Thomas made Emily Moses, a recent UMass graduate in journalism, want to go to Washington and ask questions. 'I feel like I now have some sort of responsibility to do something,' Moses said.

Interesting local story to discuss with chapter on liable and slander

Article about one public official leaving a "bullying" message on another public official's telephone answering machine below.
(See also the following cartoon of the Amherst town manager posted on a local blog called Only in the Republic of Amherst. What are the criteria you would use to determine if this is libelous?)




Amherst Bulletin story with MP3 link.
Excerpt from story follows:

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer
and Andrew Horton
Staff Writer
Published on May 18, 2007

One elected official has accused another of threatening political retribution over a comment following last week's failed tax override vote.

Andrew Churchill, chairman of the Amherst School Committee, said a message on his answering machine from Select Board member Rob Kusner "crossed the line" and amounted to "bullying."

The override vote, which failed by 267 votes, would have provided more money for schools and town services. Following the vote, Churchill was quoted in Wednesday's Gazette as saying, "Now what? We have no money, we have no plan, and we have no leadership."

--Hear an mp3 recording of the phone call from Selectman Rob Kusner to School Committee Chairman Andrew Churchill. (Click the link to listen, or right-click to download and save the file.)

Kusner, who like Churchill supported the override, called him at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Kusner left a voice message saying he was "disappointed" by Churchill's "divisive" comment, adding that "I provided the kind of leadership to try to reach out to those people on the fence."

"And I expect you, if you'd like to continue in your role in Amherst government, to talk to the press and to thank me publicly for my support for it," Kusner said. He added, "Because I think there are other things that are going on now behind the scenes that could have a major effect on the School Committee."

Churchill, who transcribed Kusner's message, called it "at best ego-driven and at worst anti-democratic."

"I really don't see this as being about me," he said. "It's about having standards of acceptable behavior for town leaders, and about protecting the authority and autonomy of the School Committee."

When Churchill made the "leadership" comment, he was speaking generally and Kusner took it personally, he said.

Asked whether he had left the message on Churchill's answering machine, Kusner said that he vaguely remembers calling Churchill early the morning after the override.

But regarding any political threat, Kusner said his comments were taken out of context by Churchill. Kusner said he initially called to vent his frustration with Churchill's disparaging comments and to thank him for his support in the override, not to threaten him. Continued...

Queens, NY

For me, home is Queens, NY. Because it is one of the five boroughs that make up New York City, I techinically consider my hometown New York City. But because I’ve lived in Queens my whole life, I’ll focus on that. Queens is the second most populous borough of the five, the largest being Brooklyn. It has a population of about 2,229,379. Queens is considered urban, but is mostly made of urban neighborhoods and business districts. Because it’s urban, public transportation is the main means of traveling for many people. Commuting by way of subways and busses is common.


It’s home to a large immigrant community, with nearly 50% of Queens made up of immigrants. There a particularly large Indian American and Jewish population in Queens. Although this is true, it’s hard to associate Queens with just one main background because there is such variety there. Different neighborhoods are often associated with different ethnic backgrounds. Flushing is known for being largely Korean and Chinese while Astoria is known for having a large Greek population. Because of its cultural diversity, Queens is also known for the many restaurants they offer. The options are wide open.

Queens is also home to the Mets. As we speak, they are building a new stadium in Willets Point, replacing Shea Stadium with Citi Field. Despite New York being mainly associated with the Yankees for the Red Sox fans here, Queens residents are huge Mets fans. For them, there’s more of a Mets/Yankees rivalry than anything else. Queens is also home to the U.S. Open tennis tournaments.
For all the dirt, grime, and urban oddities the city is known for, I love it.

Links:
http://queens.about.com/
www.nycvisit.com/
newyork.metromix.com/

Hopkinton, Ma.

Hopkinton, Ma.

Also known as H-town, Hoe-town, and Hop-town by the local youths, Hopkinton is a quiet suburb about 20 minutes outside of Boston. Predominantly made up of affluent and middle class Caucasians, the population is recorded to be around 13,346.

Once a small farming community, Hopkinton still holds much of its rural charm. If you have any intention if visiting, you better have a friend that you can stay with because there’s not even a motel in this quaint, suburban town. Changes are slowly being made, however, such as the addition of a Dunkin’ Donuts® and a Subway® built off the sides of two rebellious gas stations. Other than that, the town officials try their best to preserve Hopkinton’s country feel.

As far as tourist attractions go, there is not much to gawk at. Generally, the inhabitants bustle about their daily routines with nothing particularly exciting happening except for the frequent flow of gossip that everyone passes on.

There are only two times of the year when the whole town comes out and mingles about on the common: once in September for “Pollyarts” and once in April for the Boston Marathon. Both are traditions that have been going on for decades.

Pollyarts is an annual craft show where various creative locals set up booths of homemade jewelry, quilts, snacks, etc. and sell them. The biggest hits at this festival are the bean bag table and the fresh honey stand. All the children beg their parents for a bean bag animal made from a pattern with their favorite sport or hobby on it. As for the adults, they all line up to get their share of the delicious honey. While their parents examine the various sized jars and bee wax candles, the kids can watch the honeybees busy at work in the portable hive that the town beekeeper has brought for the youngsters enjoyment.

After shopping, the town’s people can grab lunch at the hot dog stand or stroll over to get a treat at the van selling fried dough and cotton candy. Entertainment is provided by Patricia Brosnihan’s in-town dance studio. All the young stars line up on the small wooden stage to show off their new moves. This event may not be overly thrilling, but for Hopkintonians it’s a nice, relaxing get-together that everyone can look foreword to from year to year.

The other major town event in Hopkinton is far more stressful for the town’s people. Hopkinton is the start of the Boston Marathon – a difficult 26 mile race through the various suburbs leading up to Boston. For this occasion, many weeks of preparation must go in to making sure the small town is ready for the plethora of people that will soon be carelessly trampling around. The starting line has to be painted, tents need to be posted to protect the runners from harsh weather conditions, and facilities need to be provided so the runners can use the bathroom, if needed, before the race.

On marathon day the streets are crowded with newscasters, town volunteers, and runners from across the globe. Healthy food and beverage stands cover the common and the middle school lawn. The middle school, at this point, has been turned in to what is called “Marathon Village.” Here, shuttle busses come and go, bringing runners and spectators around town since the roads are closed to all other vehicles. After the race, the whole town pitches in to help remove the trash and discarded clothing from the street. The trash is promptly taken away and all the extra clothes are quickly shipped off to local charities and shelters. All in all, the Boston Marathon is a very big deal for Hopkinton and is a very fun experience for spectators and runners alike.

Click Here to see pictures of how Hopkinton has changed over the years

Hwei-Ling Greeney

By Kate Dillon
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was an action hero. Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura was a professional wrestler. Amherst Select Board member Hwei-Ling Greeney picked asparagus in Hadley.
It was a natural career choice for the ultra-frugal Greeney. If reelected to the Select Board on April 1, she plans to try to run Amherst on her thrifty business model.

"I'm a very frugal person, and there is always a way to make do with what you have," said Greeney.
She is one of five candidates running for two seats. The others are Stephanie O'Keeffe, Irvin Rhodes, David Keenan and Diana Stein.

Greeney wants to strengthen the town's current agreement with the University of Massachusetts so that the university pays more money for services that Amherst provides, including ambulance, fire and educating the children of graduate students, she said.
Another of her goals is to get other towns that use Amherst's ambulance services to pay a larger share for them than they do now.
She is promoting "social host" legislation that would hold students living off campus in Amherst and Hadley responsible if emergency services have to respond to a renter's house.
Some residents are charging $2 a cup for beer, and "make $800 in one night" to pay their rent, she said. But when things get out of hand, police have to break it up, costing the town money, according to Greeney.

She advocates a policy that doesn't arrest and send people through the court system,wasting town money on policing and not helping anyone. Rather she preaches a policy more centered on civil action against the offenders by doling out fines which can then be used to pay for other services.

Greeney also would like to see UMass contribute more for services some students use such as the public schools for their children.

Greeney says it costs Amherst "$10,000 a year for a regular student and $18,000 for a student with special needs."
She does not want to see expenditure on town maintenance and other services cut down, rather she wants to see town revenues go up. She promotes regionalizing "for an economy of scale" and thinks that Amherst needs to work with the other towns in the Pioneer Valley to better suit all their needs.
Greeney is also very big on cutting down carbon emissions here in the town and wants to see more green projects being taken on in Amherst.

"The town budget is a meat and potatoes issue, so most people care about it, but we want to keep Amherst affordable, support small businesses and keep Amherst green," she said.

One of Greeney’s campaign goals is to keep Amherst strong by supporting local businesses. “I’m a big proponent of shopping local,” said Greeney, who is not a supporter of bringing “big box stores into Amherst.”

Instead, Greeney hopes to economically strengthen Amherst through “knowledge based, creative economy and tourism.” For example, Greeney supports building retirement housing in Amherst which would bring in a large amount of revenue for the town.

When asked who she'd prefer to work with out of her opponents, Greeney countered like a true politician, saying that although there were differences in temperament between her and her challengers, she was willing to work together with any of them for the good of the town.

"I must have the ability and the willingness and the desire to work with anyone on the board," she said during a recent interview with UMass journalism students.

Greeney acknowledged meetings can go on for a very long time, sometimes five hours.

"The Select Board members like to talk." Unlike other bodies of government, "We allow the public to come into the conversation; we solicit their opinions," she said.

Greeney maintains she adds a lot to the board.

"I'm a team player, reaching out to neighbors and always the first person on the scene to investigate the issue," said Greeney.

A native of Taiwan and the mother of four grown children, Greeney moved to Amherst from Tennessee with her family, because they were attracted to the school system, she said.
Greeney is director of the soup kitchen Not Bread Alone.
Her husband, Robert Greeney, is a physics professor at Holyoke Community College.

AP Style Tip - Web site, Internet

In news stories, "Web site" is always capitalized and spaced..."Internet" is also capitalized.

AP Style Tip: Historic vs. Historical

With the presidential elections less than a year away, journalists and pundits would likely use words like "historical" and "historic" to describe a victory by Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton.

But which word is the correct one to use? According to the AP stylebook, "A historic event is an important occurrence, one that stands out in history. Any occurrence in the past is a historical event."

In other words, go with historic if you're describing a specific event. Although every historic event is historical, not every historical event is historic. 

And for those prone to malapropisms, avoid using "hysterical" in all circumstances.