International stories:

1.Market bombs ‘kill dozens’ in Pakistan’s Lahore

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8400204.stm

2. Brazil robbers steal $6m during football season finale

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8400511.stm

3. ‘Fake fingerprint’ Chinese woman fools Japan controls

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8400222.stm

National stories:

4. Google includes real-time data in search results

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8400230.stm

5.US bank bail-out money could boost jobs, says Obama

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8400745.stm

6. H1N1 vaccine likely to become more widely available

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/07/swine.flu.vaccine/index.html

7. U.S. citizen charged in Mumbai attacks

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/07/american.mumbai.arrest/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8.Presque Isle Condominiums fire victims begin recovery, count blessings

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091208/NEWS02/312089974/-1/ETN

9.Erie tavern owner fails to appear for court

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091208/NEWS02/312079917/-1/ETN

10. Steelers’ Tomlin says he’s ready to juggle lineup

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091208/FOOTBALL04/312089939/-1/ETN

Assessment: “H1N1 vaccine likely to become more widely available

I thought this story was very well written. There were very good sources and quotes. The lead was very compelling and grabbed my attention. I thought that the article was very informative and answered all of my questions.

// -1) {document.write(‘December 8, 2009 — Updated 0202 GMT (1002 HKT)’);} else {document.write(‘December 7, 2009 9:02 p.m. EST’);}
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International stories:

1.South Africa vows to treat all babieswith HIV

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8388178.stm

2. Concern grows over UK yacht crew

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8389459.stm

3. Britain to send 500 more troops to Afghanistan

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/30/uk.afghanistan.troops/index.html

National stories:

4. Microsoft investigates Windows 7′ screen of death’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8388253.stm

5.Obama ‘to lay out Afghan exit plan for US troops’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8388939.stm

6. Lone officer ‘kills Seattle police shooting suspect’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8388396.stm

7. Couple didn’t crash White House dinner, husband says

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/01/state.dinner.couple/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8.GE Transportation pressing for Amtrak deal

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091201/NEWS02/312019976/-1/ETN

9.Millcreek supervisors to get budget

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091201/NEWS02/311309908/-1/ETN

10. Edinboro University opens indoor facility to all sports

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091201/SPORTS04/312019939/-1/ETN

Assessment: South Africa vows to treat all babies with HIV
This article caught my attention right off the bat. Just from reading the headline, my first question was, how many babies have HIV in South Africa? Are there a large amount of babies? And who and how are going to pay for this? Within the first couple of paragraphs some of my questions were answered. The article said that each year 59,000 babies are born with HIV in a country where 5.2 million people live with the virus. My question of who was going to pay for it was also answered. The article says that The US has announced it will give $120m (£73m) to help South Africa buy more anti-retrovirals, in response to a request from Pretoria. Overall, I thought this was a strong article.

International stories:

1. Mumbai attacks: One year on

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8379828.stm

2. Exercise ‘no cure’ for heavy drinking damage

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8379608.stm

3. Dame Julie Andrews to make UK stage return

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8378167.stm

National stories:

4. Website Wikileaks publishes ’9/11 messages’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8379960.stm

5. Wikipedia ‘loses’ 49,000 editors

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8379566.stm

6. Navy SEALs accused of punching accused Falluja plotter

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/11/25/navy.seals.falluja/index.html

7. Missing boy spent 11 days wandering New York subways

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/25/new.york.subway.teen/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8.Swine flu cases decline in Erie County

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091125/NEWS02/311259981/-1/ETN

9.Erie firefighters rescue man who jumped into channel to save dog

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091125/NEWS02/311249905/-1/ETN

10. ‘The Road’ brings Hollywood buzz to Erie

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091125/NEWS02/311259976/-1/ETN

Assessment: Missing boy spent 11 days wandering New York subways
I thought the lead in this story include the necessary information. This story is very serious and right away, I could tell see that through the hard news lead. I also like how the authors, Guzzardo and Solomon,  explained the story in chronological order. Details about the boys appearance were a very important part to the story considering that he spent 11 days in the New York subway system. For example, the Guzzardo and Solomon wrote, “Garcia said her son wore the same clothes for 11 days, slept in subway cars, used bathrooms in stations and spent most of his time over those days underground. He had $11 when he disappeared, she said, and he ate lollipops, potato chips and other food he bought in subway stations.”

International stories:

1.Conjoined twins op ‘successful’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8362903.stm

2. UK children ‘trafficked for sex’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8362951.stm

3. Registering the world’s ‘invisible’ millions

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8359477.stm

National stories:

4. Palin says 2012 run not on radar

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8363607.stm

5. US shuttle takes worms into space

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8363474.stm

6. Court rejects appeal over Redskins trademark

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/16/scotus.redskins/index.html

7. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen diagnosed with cancer

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/16/paul.allen.cancer/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8.Q&A with Roz Fornari, Penn State Behrend women’s basketball coach

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NEWS02/311169978

9.4 men rob Country Fair in Summit Township

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NEWS02/311169929/0/ETN

10. Clarion County thief returns money to church rectory

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NEWS02/311169925/-1/ETN

Assessment: Q&A with Roz Fornari, Penn State Behrend women’s basketball coach

I decided to assess and critique this article because I know Coach Fornari and because of this, I really wanted to read about her and the upcoming Behrend season. Last year, I covered the women’s basketball season for the entire year and got to know her through interviews. After reading the article, I felt that the lead could have been improved. The lead read, “Roz Fornari enrolled at Hofstra on a softball scholarship, which made sense, because it helped pay for her education.” This is not the most important information and I feel that if the lead included more interesting facts then the article would have captured more readers. For example, Fornari enters her 17th year with the Lions and started coaching for Behrend and still is at the age of 40. Another additional information that should have been in the lead is that Fornari is the winningest women’s basketball coach with a 270-158 career record. The article says that her resume includes two AMCC Tournament championships, three NCAA Division III tournament appearances, 12 straight winning seasons and just one losing season. These are the kind of statistics that attach readers and should be in the lead. I do like the fact that after a few paragraphs, the articles goes into a question and answer format. I believe that was the best way to write the article because it is a feature piece and readers are able to see the question and her complete answer.

International stories:

1. Leaders’ call to action in Berlin

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8351673.stm

2. Obama and PM Netanyahu hold talks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8350724.stm

3. Alarm at Zimbabwe’s growing child sex abuse

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8349788.stm

National stories:

4. US sniper execution appeal denied

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8351437.stm

5. Ward Helps Biracial Youths on Journey Toward Acceptance

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/sports/football/09ward.html?ref=sports

6. Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html

7. Trial drug may help smokers kick butts

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/09/anti.nicotine.vaccine/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8. Erie region travelers face soaring costs

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091109/NEWS02/311099981

9.Evidence charge denied by former Millcreek administrator

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091109/NEWS02/311099962/-1/ETN

10. Harbor Creek student falls down stairs

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091109/NEWS02/311099901/-1/ETN

Assessment: Ward Helps Biracial Youths on Journey Toward Acceptance

As a huge Steelers and Hines Ward fan, I clicked this article right away. I thought that John Branch began the article with a strong and capturing lead. I also liked the second paragraph of the article because it drew me in and made me want to keep reading.  The article explained how welcomed Ward was when he traveled back to Korea with his mom after 30 years of being in the United States. Ward explained that it was hard growing up because he didn’t know his identity and who to hang out with. The article was a very good feature piece on Hines Ward and what he has accomplished in South Korea.

International stories:

1. Anthropologist Levi-Strauss dies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8340936.stm

2. Bear kills militants in Kashmirhttp

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8339549.stm

3. War forces Iraqi mom into prostitution

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/11/02/iraq.prostitute/index.html

National stories:

4.Elections test US voters’ mood

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8338663.stm

5. Do digital diaries mess up your brain?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/03/digital.diary.brain.mind/index.html

6. E. Coli Kills 2 and Sickens Many; Focus Is on Beef

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/health/03beef.html?ref=us

7. Philadelphia Transit Workers Strike

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/us/04transit.html?ref=us

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8. East High School welcomes teacher back from war

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091103/NEWS02/311039979/-1/ETN

9.Waterford man killed in Route 97 rollover

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091102/NEWS02/311029957/0/ETN

10. Polls open in Erie, Crawford counties

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091103/NEWS02/311039916/-1/ETN

Assessment: Do digital diaries mess up your brain?

The headline for this article grabbed my attention immediately because of how digital the world is today. I like the way that Landau started the article. She started by explaining that people forget the minute details of life. For example, we forget the first exam we aced in high school or the shoes worn to prom. Landau then says that “today’s technology creates opportunities for greater, moment-by-moment record-keeping.” An example of this is Facebook, which has photos, conversations, and information to help people remember. The article goes on to say that we rely on technology for documenting, sorting, and storing information. I agree with Landau that we do use technology a lot today. The article had a variety of sources and it hooked me within the first three paragraphs.

International stories:

1. Afghan bombs kill eight US troops

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8328297.stm

2. Iran ‘to accept UN nuclear deal’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8327558.stm

3. Ships collide off southern Japan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8327913.stm

National stories:

4.US charges two over ‘terror plot’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8328388.stm

5. Jury chosen for US polygamy trial

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8327578.stm

6. Obama: Americans killed in Afghan crash ‘doing this nation proud’

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/26/afghanistan.chopper.crashes/index.html

7. Create a stellar home recycling system

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/27/recycling.system/index.html

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8. Erie man in critical condition after flash fire

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091027/NEWS02/310279938

9.Meadville hospital restricts visitation in response to flu

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091027/NEWS02/310279913

10. PSB Police break up on-campus “ABC” party

http://thebehrendbeacon.com/article.php?cat=BEHREND01&id=910249983&date=20091024&title=PSB%20Police%20break%20up%20on-campus

Assessment: Obama: Americans killed in Afghan crash ‘doing this nation proud’

The lead in this article is a good example of what a lead needs to contain. It answers the who, what, when, where, why, and how for this article. I liked how the article incorporated President Obama’s quotes. By using the quotes, the story had a much more positive spin on the story because Obama said that they were ‘doing this nation proud.’ The article informed readers of the crash by explaining the events and time line. Additionally, the writer provides background for the reader by stating the history of the deadliest incident for the DEA. I thought this article was very well written.

International stories:

1. Iran mourns dozens killed in militant attack

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/19/iran.suicide.attack/index.html

2.Chinese ship hijacked in Indian Ocean

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/19/indian.ocean.hijacking/index.html

3. Afghan Leader Said to Accept Runoff After Election Audit

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/world/asia/20afghan.html?hp

National stories:

4. US scientist charged with spying

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8315538.stm

5. Balloon family ‘ready for arrest’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8315042.stm

6. Gang member latest to join FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list

International stories:

1. Russian court rejects Stalin case

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8305759.stm

2.Don’t pressure Iran, says Russia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8303517.stm

3. Iraqi town hit by suicide blast

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8305445.stm

National stories:

4. Door Opens to Health Claims Tied to Agent Orange

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/us/politics/13vets.html?ref=us

5. DNA leads to suspect after 19 years, FBI says

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/13/texas.rape.arrest/index.html

6. Drive-in theater a throwback to the ’50s

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/05/aif.bengies.drive.in/index.html

7. Key Senate vote on US healthcare

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8304375.stm

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8. Harborcreek office bans magazines, books amid flu concern

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091013/NEWS02/310139970

9. Family First Academy welcomes foreign students to Summit Township

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091013/NEWS02/310139971

10. Metzgar construction project showing progress

http://thebehrendbeacon.com/article.php?cat=BEHREND01&id=910109995&date=20091010&title=Metzgar

Assessment: Harborcreek office bans magazines, books amid flu concern

The article about offices banning magazines and books because of the swine flu caught my attention.  I was surprised when I read the headline because I automatically thought of so many different places that have magazines and books in their waiting offices.  After reading the article, it made sense for the Harborcreek Township physicians’ office to remove magazines and books because as Debora Radder, M.D., a physician with the Hamot Medical Center-owned practice said, “the doctor’s office is where sick people congregate.” Although this is true, I find it unnecessary to remove the objects. The seasonal flu occurs each year, yet the magazines and books are never removed.  According to Charlotte Berringer, Director of Community Health for the Erie County Health Department, the seasonal flu causes 36,000 deaths per year.  The flu is nothing new; however, this article proves even more that people are treating the swine flu with extra concern.

International stories:

1. Rwanda queen-killing suspect held

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8292252.stm

2. Gold price rises to all-time high

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8292736.stm

3. Report: North Korea open to nuke talks

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/nkorea.talks/index.html

National stories:

4. Suspect in Yale killing to make court appearance

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/06/yale.student.killing/index.html

5. Ohio governor delays execution amid confusion

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/05/ohio.lethal.injection/index.html

6. First doses of H1N1 flu vaccine arrive

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/05/h1n1.vaccine.campaign/index.html

7. 3 Americans Share Nobel for Medicine

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/science/06nobel.html?ref=us

Erie-area/state of PA stories:

8. Fourth woman arrested in kidnapping hoax

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091006/NEWS02/310069939

9. Warren 19-year-old charged with DUI, fleeing police

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091006/NEWS02/310069946

10. Swine Flu: Fact and Fiction

http://thebehrendbeacon.com/article.php?cat=BEHREND01&id=910059990&date=20091005&title=Swine%20Flu:%20Fact%20and%20Fiction

Assessment: First doses of H1N1 flu vaccine arrive

Due to so many people talking about the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” virus, I immediately clicked this article when I saw it. After I read the lead, my first question was why is the vaccine going to Indiana and Tennessee first. The article never explained why the two states were getting the vaccine first and I thought it should have.  The article gave statistics about Swine Flu which was important information for the article. For example the article read “Last week, the CDC said it had received reports of 60 deaths of children related to H1N1 flu since April; 11 of those deaths were reported last week alone.” I thought this information was vital to the story because it shows that there is a need for the vaccine.