Ella Nilsen - Final Shark Write-Up

Ella Nilsen

ENGL 621 – “Relief for Amity”

12/5/11

Amity Island breathed a sigh of relief yesterday as local fisherman caught an 11 foot long, 875 pound nurse shark one mile off the coast of Amity.  Police assured residents that the beaches would re-open for the Fourth of July weekend with continued precautions being taken.

“I am delighted to report that the giant killer shark that has been blamed for two gruesome deaths this week has been caught and killed,” said Police Chief Brody in a press release issued earlier today. “While law enforcement officials urge vigilance on the part of all citizens, we believe we can safely say that the danger of further shark attacks has probably passed.”

Brody noted that shark spotters from the Coast Guard, Marine Patrol, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Navy, Homeland Security, F.B.I., and local forces should not deter residents from enjoying a weekend at the beach.

“They are simply a safety precaution that we hope will put our visitors at ease

The scene at the docks was one of utter relief and gleeful chaos.  Residents of Amity swarmed around the shark and the fisherman who caught it, Mike Swenson of Merford, MA, holding signs saying ‘Keep Our Beaches Safe.’

The shark, inspected by local marine biologist and shark expert Matt Hooper of the Woods Hole, Mass., Oceanographic Institute, was identified as a nurse shark.

“Nurse sharks are among the most brutal and dangerous of all sharks and have been responsible for hundreds of swimmers’ deaths along the East Coast of the United States,” Brody said.

Brody’s statement, however, contradicts a statement made by marine biologist Hooper. 

When asked when the last reported incidence of a nurse shark attack in the United States, Hooper replied, “There haven’t been any.”

At the first day of the Fourth of July weekend on the beach, a short-lived instance of terror fell over the beach as fins were spotted in the water.  All the residents in the water swam out as fast as they could and the shark spotters moved in.

Luckily, all were unharmed, minus a few minor bruises in the rush of escape. The culprits turned out to be, not terrible sharks, but two twelve-year-old boys, Wayne Winston and Brad Kaplan of Amity.

“He made me do it,” said Winston, pointing to his partner in crime as they faced a startled and bemused police force.

Police have handed the two over to the ‘custody’ of their parents, and the beaches will remain open as shaken residents brush off the incident and continue to enjoy their weekend.

Press Release

Ella Nilsen

ENGL 621 – Press Release

12/5/11

In the wake of two recent and deadly shark attacks, Police Chief Brody, Mayor Farley, and the Amity Board of selectmen held a meeting to address the step that needed to be taken to protect residents from further attacks this Fourth of July Weekend.

“The beaches will be closed,” said Brody, who also stated that he was installing extra summer deputies and putting shark spotters on the beaches to ensure further safety.

Brody’s announcement of the beaches closing for the next 24 hours was met by cries of disappointment from locals, many of whom are worried about losing money on Amity’s Fourth of July weekend, the biggest tourist weekend for the town. 

Closed beaches will be sure to wreak havoc on Amity’s local economy, dependent on its Fourth of July boost.

Resident bickering was broken up as local fisherman Ben Quint took his turn to speak from the back of the room.  Quint quickly captured the attention of the meeting attendees with his promise to catch the shark.

“I’ll catch this fish,” Quint said, “but it won’t be easy.”

According to Quint, it wouldn’t be cheap either.  Dismissing the $3,000 bounty for the shark posted by recent victim Alex Kintner’s mother, Marion Kintner, Quint stated that he would only accept the sum of $10,000 for the capture and killing of the shark in question.

“I’ll find him for three, but I’ll catch him and kill him for ten,” said Quint.  “For that, you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.”

Quint spoke with urgency, saying that the capture must happen quickly in order for calm to be restored to Amity and for the Fourth of July weekend to proceed accordingly.

The mayor and Amity board of selectmen took Quint’s proposal under advisement later in the day, and Mayor Farley recently stated that they would officially support Quint’s mission.

“We have talked to Mrs. Kintner,” said Farley.  “We will come up with $7,000 and Mrs. Kintner will come up with the remaining $3,000.”

Ella Nilsen: Sidebar - "Shark Attack in NH Seacoast Area Called Unlikely"

Ella Nilsen

ENGL 621 – “Shark Attack in New Hampshire Coastal Waters Deemed Unlikely”

12/5/11

In light of the recent shark attacks on Amity Island in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, local residents on the seacoast of New Hampshire are worried about the possibility of a shark attack in Atlantic waters closer to home.

The tragic deaths of 17-year-old Christine Watson and 10-year-old Alex Kintner on Sunday night and Monday afternoon stunned the Amity area and prompted fears of a shark getting even further north.

However, local experts maintain that a shark attack in New Hampshire waters is almost nonexistent.

“I’d say it’s slim to none,” said Elizabeth Fairchild, Professor of Marine Biology at the University of New Hampshire in an email interview.

Fairchild added, “We have occasional sightings of basking sharks (plankton eating sharks) and spiny dogfish are caught regularly here in the summer. Dogfish are very small sharks and not a risk to people.”

Even though the colder waters of New Hampshire and Maine are free of the larger shark such as the blue, mako, hammerhead, and great white, scientists in the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries have recorded instances of these sharks off the coast of Massachusetts in May and June, when waters grow warmer.

“Massachusetts represents the northernmost range for several species of sharks,” says the site, adding, “Although rare, the great white shark is know to visit New England waters, keeping to itself despite its heinous reputation.”

Nevertheless, seacoast residents of New Hampshire should know that their chances of being bitten by a shark are very slim.  Not only will the cold New Hampshire coastal waters deter sharks, but the chances of fatality due to a shark-bite are incredibly rare, just one in 11.5 million. 

Swimmers on the New Hampshire coast should breath easy for now, even as those in Amity mourn the fatalities and stay away from the beach.

NY Times Log: November 28th - 30th

Monday, November 28^th:

I thought that the piece on Black Friday shopping and increased sales was an interesting and comprehensive piece that delivered good information from multiple perspectives.  They had lots of quotes from members of financial institutions such as Wells Fargo Securities, Moody’s Investors Service, and the National Retail Federation.  A research group called ShopperTrak provided additional information on consumer spending habits, which appear to be up from last year, rising 6.6 percent.  However, the Times also noted that this could be a trend that will not last long, and also discussed in detail how consumer’s shopping habits were changing due to America’s financial troubles.  Consumers are now looking to buy a few expensive and useful items for their friends and family members, rather than purchasing a lot of gifts.  The NY Times provided good quotes from consumers that showed how peoples’ habits are changing.  I thought that overall the article was well done, well organized and enlightening.

I thought the political op-ed on Newt Gingrich was interesting, in light of his recent poll surge, now showing him to be Mitt Romney’s main competitor.  The most important indicator of Gingrich’s rising popularity could be his recent endorsement by New Hampshire’s biggest (and very conservative) paper, the Union Leader.  Many thought that the Leader was going to endorse Romney, who has consistently polled well in the state, and who is logically poised to win the New Hampshire primary, due to his proximity as former governor of Massachusetts and his classic conservative values.  The article as an op-ed gave a good overview of the Gingrich campaign as well as indications and speculations on the candidate’s future.

Tuesday, November 29^th:

Today’s obituary of Lana Peters, born Svetlana Stalin, daughter of the infamous Soviet dictator, was an especially well-written and interesting piece.  A lengthy article, it gave a detailed account of the fascinating and always-shifting life of Mrs. Peters, who defected from the Soviet Union and moved around between multiple countries throughout her life.  She died on November 22^nd in Wisconsin, at age 85.  The story of her life as detailed by the Times was certainly intriguing.  Her early life in the Kremlin was surrounded by the terror of her father (even though he was kind to her and showered her with gifts and attention as a child, he became more cruel towards his daughter as both aged).  Additionally, Peters was shadowed by the suicide of her mother when she was six and was part of one of the most terrifying regimes in modern history.  As the Times wrote, Mrs. Peters constantly seemed to be running away from her past, and was quoted saying about her father, “He broke my life.  Wherever I go…I will always be a political prisoner of my father’s name.”

Keeping with my history-centric theme in today’s log, and of especial interest to me as a history major, I thought that the piece on Newt Gingrich’s past as a historian was very interesting.  The Times made it clear that Gingrich sees himself very much as a part of history, and models himself as an underdog political candidate who will someday be an important leader.  However, in a field of presidential candidates who constantly display an extreme lack of intelligence (Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, and Rick Perry), the Times notes that Gingrich’s formal education and noticeable intelligence set him apart in the field of candidates.  The Times integrated quotes from other prominent historians who are seemingly skeptical of Mr. Gingrich’s success, either as a historian or a presidential candidate.

Wednesday, November 30^th:

I thought that today’s headlines on the former deputy features editor at the News of the World tabloid, Paul McMullan, was purely fascinating.  The Times article was basically just straight coverage of McMullan’s judicial hearing in London the day before, but is fascinating because of the content of McMullan’s testimony.  McMullan comes off as an unapologetic and slightly crazed tabloid-monger who would do truly anything to pursue a story (including posing as a young boy to trap a pedophile priest).  Furthermore, as the Times notes, he seemed completely unapologetic about his actions and the actions of his colleagues at News of the World.  He maintained that hacking was a very useful tool that journalists should be able to use freely.  McMullan was quoted as saying, “Phone hacking is a perfectly acceptable tool, given the sacrifices we make, if all we’re trying to do is get the truth.”  He furthermore asked the question, do “we really want to live in a world where the only people who do the hacking are MI5 and MI6?” before resolutely responding in the negative.  He seemed to believe that News of the World was an organization crusading for the truth, and using whatever means they could to obtain it.

McMullan is a completely wacky, slimy, and interesting specimen of a person, at one point making a show in his courtroom by dragging out topless photos of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the first lady of France, causing the Times writer to comment, “apparently to show how easy it is to obtain racy photographs.” He gleefully detailed car chases with celebrities, phone hacking, drug-taking and more daredevil and illegal hijinks in pursuit of tabloid news.  A fascinating subject, McMullan made the Times article on him equally as interesting. 

Jaws Story - Second Issue

Ella Nilsen

An idyllic afternoon at Village Beach turned horrific as 10 year old Alex Kintner of Mayfair Court in Amity was killed by what police said appears to be a shark attack.  This comes a day after the discovery of local teen Christine Watson’s mangled body washed up on South Beach.

“Alex Kintner was killed in what appears – and I stress the word appears – to have been a vicious and unprovoked shark attack,” said Chief of Police Martin Brody.

Brody’s statement comes just a few hours after a press conference with the police, Mayor Bob Farley, and Medical Examiner Robert Niven had emphatically denied that Watson’s death was due to a shark attack, blaming the 17-year-old’s death instead on a freak motor-boating accident.

At a local press release held on Watson’s death, medical examiner Dr. Robert Nevin confirmed that the autopsy on Watson had pointed to an unfortunate encounter with a propeller, and stated, “I’ve been here thirty years, and this looks like any other motor-boating accident.”

Brody insisted he still could not confirm that Kintner’s death had been caused by a shark attack.  “We hasten to ask the press not to jump to any conclusions regarding the perpetrator or perpetrators in this tragic incident,” he said in a press release.

Nevertheless, Brody admitted that there were similar characteristics in both deaths.  “We now believe that it may be possible that the Watson death could also maybe have been linked to possible shark activities in the vicinity of Amity,” said Brody.  “That investigation is ongoing.”

At Village Beach, the scene was nothing short of hysterical as beach-goers suddenly noticed a growing red stain of blood in the ocean water, not far from where Alex Kintner had been paddling on a yellow rubber raft.  Chaos broke out as young children ran screaming from the water and their parents yelled for them on the beach.  Kintner was not among the hordes of children who were able to run to safety.  His body remains missing.

Brody expressed the town’s sincere condolences to the family of Alex Kintner, and announced that he would be holding a meeting at 6 p.m. tonight along with Mayor Farley and the Amity Board of Selectmen.  Among the business that will be discussed will be a plan to close the beaches for the Fourth of July weekend.  However, the beaches will remain open for the rest of the day, as Brody announced no beach closings in the press release.

Jaw Story - First Issue

Ella Nilsen

The mangled body of a local teenage girl was discovered on a remote section of South Beach around 6 a.m. this morning.  Questions remain on how she died as police and local officials assured residents that the beaches would be stay for the Fourth of July weekend.

“The Amity Police Department is investigating the tragic death of a teenage girl near one of our fine beaches Sunday night,” said Amity Police Chief Martin Brody in a press release.

The facts of the case remain murky. Christine W. Watson, 17, of 23 Sharkstooth St., Amity Island and a senior at Amity High School, was last seen alive with Christopher P. Hoggenbottam III, another local teen who is a sophomore at Trinity College.  The two were seen leaving a beach party on South Beach together at around 11 p.m. Sunday night. 

Both Watson and Hoggenbottam had reportedly been drinking heavily and possibly smoking marijuana at the party.

Watson, an excellent swimmer who was a member of the varsity swim team at Amity High School and a lifeguard at the Amity Island YMCA pool, entered the water at a remote section of South Beach near the South Beach Shoal bell buoy.  Weather and sea temperatures and conditions at the time were fairly mild.

According to Hoggenbottam, he did not follow Watson into the water due to his inebriation. After noticing that she had not returned from the water, he notified police around 6 a.m. this morning. Watson’s body was recovered after a short search.

Police are currently investigating the cause of death.  Watson’s body was severely mauled by an attacker of unknown origin. The body is currently at the coroner’s office post-autopsy. No charges have yet been filed.

At a local press release, medical examiner Dr. Robert Nevin confirmed that the autopsy had been performed, and stated that all evidence pointed to a motor-boating accident.

“I’ve been here thirty years, and this looks like any other motor-boating accident,” said Nevin.

Police Chief Brody stated that police were thoroughly searching the harbor-master’s logs and interviewing local boaters to try to find anyone who was boating in local waters at the time.

Nevin and police, however, are still not ruling out the possibility of a shark attack or homicide, pending investigation.  Nevertheless, they emphatically ensured residents that the beaches were safe and would remain open to the public for the Fourth of July weekend, which is Amity Island’s biggest of the season.

“This was so far away from where people swim, we’re just not worried about it,” said Amity Mayor Larry Vaughn.

“We want to assure all residents and visitors on our fine island that they are in no danger,” added Brody.  Our lovely beaches will remain open for swimming pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Cover Letter - This American Life

Ella Nilsen

60 Strafford Avenue, Apt. K3

Durham, NH

03824

Dear This American Life Staff,

I wish to work for This American Life simply because I recognize the importance of a good story.  I love listening to people and the stories they have to tell.  Throughout my college career, I’ve interviewed dozens of people and by doing so; have gained more insight into the world around me than I could any other way. 

I grew up the classic National Public Radio kid.  Living in Northern New Hampshire, seemingly the only place in the world without a television signal, my parents kept the radio on all day.  The shows of NPR and the voices of thousands of people surrounded me from a very early age, always telling me their stories. 

I would be an excellent addition to the intern staff at This American Life because of my dedication, work ethic, and story-telling ability.  I have a very distinct voice in my writing that I believe would add to the program.  I would love to gain the experience of producing a radio show.  As I have been involved in the production of numerous print publications, I think the opportunity to do this in radio would be incredibly rewarding.

My journalism experience is extensive.  As a freshman in college, I joined the staff of the University of New Hampshire’s only student magazine, Main Street Magazine, and have learned so much from my experience with the publication. I started the now permanent music reviews and interviews section, interviewing artists and musicians including Passion Pit, the Smith Westerns, Wild Beasts, and Kap Slap. 

I have written many other pieces for the magazine as well, and as the Design Editor, helped transform the magazine’s layout and appearance.  I have grown with the magazine and feel an extremely strong connection to it.  Additionally, I have had three pieces to date published in the UNH school newspaper, The New Hampshire, and plan to publish more.  I have extensive experience with research as well, having completed a university funded research project on my own family’s history and Jewish heritage.

I am very experienced with the programs Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, and am going to be learning digital editing and Pro Tools this coming semester.  I have extensive experience interviewing subjects for research and investigative articles, as well as music interviews.  I am about to start my first extensive investigative piece on the Northern Pass in Northern New Hampshire, a proposed line of electrical towers that is vehemently opposed and being fought by New Hampshire residents.

I can be reached at elheafield@gmail.com.  I eagerly await your reply!

Sincerely,

Ella Nilsen

New York Times Log: November 13-15

Monday, November 13^th:

The Times story on gun rights is an excellent article.  I really found the structure the used, narrating a very specific example at the outset of the piece and then delving into the background of states rulings on gun rights and felons apparently easy access to them.  The article is well organized and very well written. 

This article is a good example of investigative news piece rather than a regular summary news article.  They indicated that they “examined hundreds of restoration cases in several states.”  A terrifying statistic the Times reports, offered by Washington, D.C. pardon lawyer Margaret C. Love is that “in more than half the states, felons have a reasonable chance of getting back their gun rights.”

This article was also much more substantial and longer than most other summary news articles.  The type of people the reporters talked to was much more varied than in summary news articles.  For example, one source who offered an opinion was a felon who had his was a felon who had his own gun rights restored easily.  He said, “It’s kind of spooky…we could have all kinds of crazy hoodlums out here with guns that shouldn’t have guns.”  The article especially focused on the powerful lobby for gun rights in the United States and how much influence it has in Washington D.C.  The article then takes a close look at five other cases of convicted felons who were easily granted gun rights and attempted shootings or killed after obtaining these rights.

Tuesday, November 14^th:

The article on the changes the nation’s healthcare has undergone since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act in 2010 was a substantial look a t a very complex issue.  The consensus of the article is that things have changed considerably.

The opening sentence of the piece is good writing:  “For the nation’s health care system, there many be no going back” hits hard as a lead.  It gets the point across well and makes you want to keep reading.

The article is slightly difficult to understand just because the content is so dense and complicated, seeing as individual states are challenging it.

I thought that the piece on young people’s enthusiasm for President Obama starting to wane was interesting, given that it was so overwhelmingly strong in the 2008 election.  The article heavily relied on quotes from all the young people who are not reconsidering their votes for President Obama, but not fining themselves nearly as excited about the change he has so far produced as president.

Wednesday, November 15^th:

Today I focused on international stories, like the one on frustrations building in Europe over Germany’s perceived domination of the European economy.  I thought that the lead of this summary was too long and wordy.  It could absolutely have been re-written to be clearer.  The rest of the article was good, but also slightly dense.  The reporter mainly used sources like financial experts from different governments, private groups, or academic institutions, and did not incorporate quotes of popular sentiment in European countries, rather than just alluding to it.  The article certainly was well informed, but it wasn’t very compelling.

NY Times Log: November 7-9

Monday, November 7^th:

I thought today’s issue was overall a very diverse one with interesting articles.  I though that the article on increasing sexual harassment in middle and high school was disturbing but not at all surprising.  I was especially saddened to see that half on those who reported being sexually harassed did nothing about it.  Hopefully, most of these children at least feel as if they have someone to talk to about their problems.  I think that the article was a very good and concise summary news article with some great quotes from children and school officials.  I think that the Times could definitely run a feature piece spotlighting a particular school where harassment was reported, or on a particular student who had a story to tell, this would really bring a more immediate, human perspective to the issue as a whole.

The other national story today that I found rather disturbing is the one about Christians advocating corporal punishment for children and the deaths that have been tied to parents who seemed mentally unstable to begin with, who used tips from the book.  This debate centers on where the overlap is between punishment/ discipline for children and abuse and neglect.  I thought that this article was extremely in depth, perhaps more so than the story about bullying.  I thought that the extensive quotes gotten really added to the piece, and that quotes from the Pearl’s parenting book “To Train Up a Child” also gave a lot of material to work with for the article.

Tuesday, November 8^th:

Today’s big headline in the Times is the first public accuser who has come forward to put forth allegations that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain sexually harassed and groped her.  This marks the first serious public allegations that could mar Mr. Cain’s campaign, as well as the first serious sexual harassment charge that has come out for the campaign (not to mention, it’s the most serious charge that has been aired at a candidate in years).  The Times’ story mainly focuses on the woman who made the public allegations, Sharon Bialek.  They repeat her allegations and describe Ms. Bialek at the press conference she recently gave, saying that her voice cracked and that she became emotional while she recounted her experience with Herman Cain.  The article portrayed Ms. Bialek as someone who was not seeking financial gain from her allegations, rather, someone trying to speak up for more of the women who felt they could not come forward themselves.  The Times noted that even though Ms. Bialek has had past financial problems, she was not seeking monetary compensation from either Herman Cain’s campaign or the television talk shows that had invited her on to share her story.

Wednesday, November 9^th:

I thought the lead on the Times piece on Italy’s debt crisis and Silvio Berlusconi’s immanent resignation from his post was very concise and very good.  I also like the language used by the author, including the sentence: “political commentators said they could see no escape this time for the prime minister, whose Houdini-like ability to wriggle free from scandals is legendary.”  Additionally, I thought the article’s balancing of the main important points of the debt crisis with smaller details surrounding the case, including the sentence: “After the parliamentary vote, a photographer’s zoom lens caught Mr. Berlusconi writing ‘eight traitors’ on a piece of paper on which he had also written ‘resignation.’”

I found the Times’ business section article on Occupy Wall Street influencing organized labor and unions to be more vocal and aggressive in their demands very interesting.  It’s interesting that the unions were at first cautious about supporting the movement.  It was intriguing to read specifically about the seemingly vicious and raucous fight between the Teamsters and Sotheby’s because of the auction house’s lockout of art handlers associated with the Teamsters.  The article integrated good quotes from a lot of the Unions.  Even though the Unions have been inspired by Occupy, Occupy reps said that they must stay autonomous and not be attached to any one social or politically influential group.  The give-and-take between this new movement and this historically political and embattled organization is very interesting.

NY Times Log: October 31st - November 2nd

Monday, October 31^st:

I was extremely interested in the article on the rising popularity of Pakistani cricket star, anti-government symbol, and aspiring politician Imran Khan.  The picture with the article I thought showed the obvious widespread dissatisfaction with the current government in Pakistan.  I thought that the article could have focused more on the career of Khan in addition to focusing on what the popular response to his candidacy has been.  The article only briefly alluded to the fact that Khan’s political expertise might be vastly lacking, as he is a sports star whose political popularity is due simply to his celebrity.  It will be interesting to see whether Khan’s hype can translate to a solid candidacy, or if he does get elected, to a legitimate and effective tenure in office.

I reread the article on the early winter snowstorm that we had discussed early in class, and additionally noticed the short part in the article that briefly raised the question of whether or not this storm will raise debates on the validity of global warming.  This article posited that this storm was further proof that global warming is a legitimate threat, saying that an unexpected and fierce storm so early in the season was a sign of a rapidly changing climate.  I agree with the claim, but thought that this small section of the article was perhaps too small, and could have merited a second article devoted to this issue specifically.

Tuesday, November 1^st:

Today, I decided to focus on the noticeable difference between the writing styles of many of the other sections of the New York Times versus its regular News section.  For instance, Science Times.  It’s of little surprise that the science section does not employ the same type of summary lead that is often used in the regular News section.  Instead, the articles of the science section often tells a gradual story, a narrative around the gradual development of the hypothesis, experiments, and ultimate scientific conclusion.  However, the articles on science in the NY Times are not so methodical.  The one in Tuesday’s issue on Steve Jobs’ pancreatic tumor shows how, even with the extensive research that has been done on cancer, it is difficult for many to know how to proceed treating numerous kinds of cancer.  The article is as inconclusive as the subject it covers.

The article debates the various choices that cancer patients have when faced with their very specific types of the disease, but ultimately comes up with the conclusion that cancer and tumors are very complicated and the decisions of patients on how to proceed with them are very personal.  The article is like a news article in that it deals with both facts and emotion, however it represents the facts and emotion in a different format.

Wednesday, November 2^nd:

Today I was surprised at first seeing the article on Levi’s jeans on the front section of the Times.  I had thought that maybe this article was fit more for the business section rather than the regular news section, but after reading it; I decided that the article merited front-page status.  Part of a series of articles increasingly focusing on water shortages, this one was focusing on how the water used to make and clean jeans is drawing significantly from our natural resources.  I thought the article was a good length and devoted enough time to both the business and environmental aspects of the article.  Ultimately, reading the article gave me hope about the larger environmental situation simply because large companies are deciding that it is crucial to jump on the conservation bandwagon.

I thought that the photographs in this issue were particularly good, possibly because I was noticing more color photos?  Don’t know if there actually were more color photos or if I’m suddenly noticing more.  I particularly thought the picture accompanying the article on Egypt’s declining tourism rates was incredibly beautiful and very accurate for the content of the article.  The next two pages in the world section also had great photos, especially on the man walking on a plank above floodwaters in Thailand.  

NY Times Logs: October 24th - 26th

Monday, October 24^th:

I thought that that national issues that the Times covered in today’s paper were interesting – I’m finding occasionally that I don’t understand why some things are put on the cover while others are left out (notably, why an article about hearing aides was put on the cover, but the main story on the national page was about the contentious issue of selling water and pressure on farmers to not water their crops, rather, selling that water to cities that depend on this disappearing resource.)  It’s making me wonder about how the layout of the front page is determined, and more importantly, how what is put on the front page is determined.

I thought that the three snapshots of Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta accompanying the article on military spending captured well the fraught and tense debate over the defense budget that is now being waged in Congress.  After the victories against Al Quaeda in the past year, Panetta is urging Congress to not cut the defense budget, like, he insists, they have done in the past.  I thought that the lead of the article was very descriptive yet concise, and the content of the article was excellent.  I thought that it was extremely laid out and detailed about both the Panetta and the vast challenges he faces in Washington.  

Tuesday, October 25^th:

I liked the layout of the Times today, with the emphasis on the small pictures that were “Snapshots of Suburban Poverty.”  I thought the photos were very interesting and very stark.  I liked the fact that they displayed multiple small photos, rather than one large one – I think this helps to drive home the point that this problem is widespread and affecting many people.  Especially considering that the suburbs were largely seen as symbols of American prosperity and happiness in the 1950s, I think that the article on suburban poverty is very interesting and very indicative of the problems that the American people now face.  The statistics provided in the article are astounding.  “The increase [of poor] in the suburbs was 53 percent, compared with 26 percent in cities.  The recession accelerated the pace: two-thirds of the new suburban poor were added from 2007 to 2010.”

The pictures that the Times provided fit the article so well, and I think provided a needed balance to the article.  I personally like and appreciate photojournalism a lot and think that especially with an article that involves a lot of raw data, having these snapshots to accompany makes good sense for people that might otherwise shy away from such a statistics and numbers-laden article.

Wednesday, October 26^th:  

I enjoyed a lot of the content in today’s issue; writing style made a big impression on me with several of the pieces.  I thought the story on the Iraqi circus had a great writing style that fit the quirkiness of the article’s content.  Instead of being a conventional news article, the piece told a story of rebuilding and attempts to return to normalcy in a war-torn country.  And normalcy is certainly not the first thing one would think of when confronted with the words “circus in Iraq.”  I particularly enjoyed the author’s writing in the first paragraphs and thought it really complemented the subject and photos.  It shows both the slowness and frustration that comes with rebuilding a war torn country, as well as the willingness and need of its citizens to return to some sort of ‘normal life,’ with diversions and entertainment that draws away from the reality of today’s Iraq.

I thought that the article on rescue efforts in Turkey provided a great example of a classic summary lead and story.  I thought that the article provided good description of rescue efforts in the beginning and described the scene in Turkey very well (the pictures of the rubble definitely helped bolster the article’s description).  I was surprised that the article only devoted two short paragraphs to the question of some buildings’ poor construction.  The article only presented the question of whether or not the buildings’ construction was inadequate, but did nothing to answer – probably because more evidence will have to be determined before the questioned can be answered.

Spotted Leopard Class Exercise - Ella Nilsen

Tuesday morning, chaos and terror reigned supreme as a rare spotted leopard escaped from the Durham Zoo around 7:30 a.m.  Missing leopard “Fluffy’s” whereabouts remained unknown as zoo officials and local police attempted to find her and restore calm.

“We have no idea what time Fluffy escaped or where she went,” said director of the Durham Zoo Gerry Durrell.  “She may have left the area and she could be walking around Durham at this point.  We are doing everything we can to find her and bring her back.”

At 8:30, officials had closed the zoo and were starting their search for the leopard.  The deadly 146 pound animal was described by zoo biologist Kitty Smith as being black with white spots and having the ability to run 60 miles an hour.  Although Smith insisted that the missing animal was a “wonderful, warm, gentle cat who has never hurt anyone,” she also issued a dire warning to any who saw the cat walking around.

“They take the ‘kill now, ask later’ approach to life,” said Smith.  “We urge anyone who encounters Fluffy to get slowly to the ground and lay still. Be especially careful to avoid eye contact.”

Durham Police Chief William Blair assured residents that local police and emergency forces were taking every precaution necessary to protect the public.  Blair expressed that the police were searching the zoo thoroughly, and would then move on to the surrounding area if they could not find the leopard within the zoo’s grounds.

“We are concerned because this is a residential neighborhood with an elementary school and we don’t want Fluffy wandering around after the kids get out of school,” Blair said.  “If possible, Fluffy will be shot with a tranquilizer gun.  But if necessary, we will shoot to kill.”

Blair noted that local police would have sufficient forces to help back them up in the search for Fluffy.  Not only were New Hampshire State Police and state wildlife department officials on hand, but the National Guard was supplying the police with five helicopters equipped with infrared sensors to help find the dark, spotted animal.

Visitors and zoo officials alike made it clear that they were hoping that Fluffy would not have to be fatally shot.  Part of an extremely endangered species of Romanian spotted leopard – one of only five left in the world – Fluffy is the last surviving female of her species.

Just a month away from her scheduled mating date with a male spotted leopard owned by the Chinese government, Fluffy’s disappearance could potentially signal the end of her species. If she is killed before capture, her death would have dire consequences for the survival of Romanian spotted leopards. 

Originally from the city of Durhamvoska, Romania, 10-year-old Fluffy was gifted to sister city Durham, New Hampshire five years ago and has been living at the zoo ever since.  Inspiring great love and in Durham’s residents, her disappearance prompted sorrow in addition to fear.

 “We love that cat, and we don’t want to lose her,” said teary-eyed zoo director Gerry Durrell.

In addition, public anger seemed to be directed towards the zoo, rather than the escaped animal herself.

“Fluffy would never hurt anyone,” said a zoo visitor who wished to remain anonymous.  “I’m never coming back here again.  This place is out of control.”

NY Times Log: October 17-20th

Monday, October 17: 

I’m not finding much in today’s paper that interests me.  The one article at the back that especially catches my eye and draws me in is the one about Occupy Wall Street, and the questions that the article inspires.  Namely, is it possible to get anything done if you are running a true democracy?  Is anyone in Occupy Wall Street going to be able to get any of their demands satisfied, or are they even going to be able to come up with demands?  Is the democratic process they are practicing have too many voices to make enough of a dent or effect the change they wish to see in the United States. 

“Demands are disempowering since they require someone else to respond,” said Gabriel Willow, a protester.  “It’s not like we couldn’t come up with any, but I don’t think people would vote for them.”  Many people would ask what the point of such a mass protest without demands, and many more would question the efficiency of the ‘true Democratic’ process that the protestors were using.  “A two-thirds majority would have to approve each proposal, and any passionate opponent could call for the entire vote to be delayed.”  This attempt at pure democracy, however admirable, completely delays the move for real change, thus sabotaging the movement altogether.  Some protestors see the protest process as their message and the whole point of the movement, but as a college student as disillusioned as they are with our current political and economic system, I’m doubtful that this method can actually work.

Tuesday, October 18^th:

Strange stories to keep the paper interesting today, including the one on men from an Amish sect who are forcibly cutting the beards of their peers who they perceive as ‘enemies.’  Many in the Amish community view these attack simply as revenge and retribution for an altercation between the sect’s leader, Sam Mullet (a man with a name that could prompt an infinite amount of funny hair jokes).

I was very interested in the article on the Obama administration’s deliberation on whether or not to use cyber warfare in the opening salvo against Libya.  I thought the article did a very good job exploring the different logistical arguments against using cyber warfare against other countries, and agree that computer hacking as a weapon could be incredibly damaging if major powers such as China and Russia started using it against the United States (or vice versa).  I think that this is a very effective but very dangerous route to for the U.S. to go down, but I don’t necessarily know if Congressional limitations will stop them from using it in the future.  If cyber warfare is implemented, it could bode very ill for all of us.

Thursday, October 20^th:

Lots of interesting and varied news mostly centering on the United States today, most crazy and sad of which is the story of the escaped exotic animals in Ohio.  I am still unsure of how exactly someone could have a preserve with so many wild animals, especially after multiple accounts of abuse to said animals.  Especially compared to some of the other articles I had read on the subject, I appreciated the personal nature of the Times article, which featured more quotes from those directly involved, especially Terry Thompson’s wife, Marian.  Ms. Thompson, the Times reported pleaded with officers to not kill the animals, saying, “Please don’t take my babies.”  This added some perspective to a story that otherwise seemed completely nonsensical.  It was fairly awful from any perspective, but I appreciated that the Times showed a little bit of personal emotions from the estranged wife of a seemingly crazy owner of the animals.  I’m not exactly sure how a shared love of exotic animals could translate into wanting to keep dozens of dangerous lions, tigers, and bears on one’s property, but then again, there is a lot I don’t really understand about this story.  I would have liked to see the Times talk a little bit more about the reactions of neighbors and town residents to the situation.  I feel that for a preserve this size, packed with wild animals, some of which had previously escaped; residents of the town must have vocalized their unease or have tried to stop the preserve.  There was no coverage on that in the article.

UNH Dining's New Credit Card Policy Causes Controversy - Ella N

Ella Nilsen

ENGL 621 – “UNH Dining’s New Credit Card Policy Causes Controversy”

10/17/11

Durham N.H. – Among changes in UNH’s Dining Services policies this year is one mandating that customers pay a $5 minimum in order to use credit cards at any dining retail location. 

While the move comes at a time when the university faces the deepest budget cuts in its history, Dining Retail Area Manager Andrew Porter says that the credit card minimum was not wholly due to the budget crisis. 

 “Every year, we look at our lines and look where we can save money and reduce costs,” said Porter.  “It was really just a way for us to try and control costs.”

According to Porter, Dining paid $65,000 extra last year simply in credit card fees. 

“It’s one of the things that we pay a lot for, but students don’t get a service for it,” Porter said.  “It’s just $65,000 we spend away.”

In today’s convenience driven world, many college students rarely carry cash on them and primarily use their credit or debit cards for small purchases such as buying a cup of coffee.  However, the hidden fees that these small purchases incur add up quickly.

According to Porter, there is a flat fee of 10 to 15 cents for every charge on a credit card.  This flat rate then has a percentage added onto it.  How much is added depends on various factors. 

“There’s no common number,” said Porter.  “A percentage varies based on the credit card that you use, whether it be a credit card or debit card, whether it be a card that collects points, or just a straight credit card.” 

The amount of percentage also varies depending on the user of the card.  “If someone has a great credit rating, it’s a lower percentage we pay,” said Porter.  “If they have a horrible credit rating, it’s a higher percentage rate.”

Porter said that Dining introduced the $5 credit card minimum as an alternative to other measures, which could have added extra fees to students’ bills or taken away certain products or services.  Porter said he hoped the minimum would be an option to allow students the freedom to choose whether or not to purchase more without adding costs. 

Both Porter and Zeke’s employees pointed out that there are still numerous ways for students to pay for their food and beverages, which include cash, Dining Dollars, or Cat’s Cache.  They also mentioned that if students really want to use their credit cards, they could simply buy more add-on items.

These suggested solutions have angered students, many of whom primarily pay with credit cards.  Many feel like the policy has inconvenienced them, and is simply another way to get them to spend more at dining locations.

“People are usually angry because it makes them buy more,” said Zeke’s employee Lindsay Jeffries.  “It definitely increases sales, but it definitely makes people mad.”  Jeffries says that the reactions that she’s seen at the cash register have been mostly negative.

“Some people are fine without their credit cards,” Jeffries said, “but a bunch of people have been complaining, or getting mad, or just walking away.”

Many students say that while they understand why Dining implemented the measure, they still find it inconvenient.  “It’s annoying,” says junior Nina Lary.  “Once you get to the register and realize it’s the five dollar thing, you think, ‘Okay, I’ll just buy extra.’”

“It makes me eat a lot more,” said student Jennifer Venti.  “If you pay the $5, you end up getting more food.”  Even though the policy is frustrating, Venti said that independent town restaurants such as the Bagelry and Durham House of Pizza have $5 minimum policies as well, so Dining’s move isn’t a huge surprise.

Some angry students have gone so far as to question the legality of the policy.  Said Porter, “We’ve gotten a couple of more formal requests asking the legality of it.  There was legislation that changed the policy over the summer that does make it legal for us to require a minimum purchase for Visa and Mastercard.”

UNH students will have soon relief at one campus location.  The new UNH branch of Dunkin’ Donuts in the MUB will not follow the university’s policies and, Porter believes, will not impose the credit card limit.

“We have nothing to do with Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Porter.  “They’ll have their own policies and procedures.”

Until Dunkin’ Donuts opens, students will have to grumble under their breath as they reach for that 99 cent add-on.

NY Times Log, October 11-14

Tuesday, October 11:

Today my eyes bypass the headlines on Syrian sanctions, and drug-tests for welfare and go straight to the story on 16-year-old stutterer Phillip Garber Jr.  I’m not sure why I’m so shocked about the contents of the story.  I of course, found the most fault with the teacher and wonder if the administration would have reacted somewhat more strongly if the professor had been teaching at any place other than a community college, but I feel that if a professor had done that at UNH, there would have been very severe consequences for the faculty member. 

I thought the article on adding the requirement of drug testing for welfare was very interesting.  The issue is very contentious, and it made me question exactly what my ideas about the nation’s poor are.  On the one hand, I agree that requiring the drug test reinforces a negative stereotype of poor people as shiftless people who bum off the system, something I disagree with very much.  I’m very much of the belief that America’s system shifts much burden and blame on the poor and gives them no assistance.  On the other hand, I know that there are certain cases in which this could be true, and drug testing could be beneficial in some cases.  I am interested in knowing the costs of doing the drug testing in states versus having ‘ineligible’ people bum off the welfare system.  This debate, rather than a moral one, may be better in deciding the issue.

Wednesday, October 12:

In today’s paper, international news dominates the headlines. The story on the extremely tangled plot to kill the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., involving an obscure Iranian-American used car salesman and the notorious Iranian-American used car salesman and notorious Mexican cartel the Zetas is so bizarre and so bungled, it’s almost comical.  Comical, at least, if it didn’t have so many implications for foreign policy with one of the more unstable Middle Eastern nations, who’s relationship with the United States is tenuous at best.  The whole story reads like an extremely mangled and mismanaged spy story.

The story on freed Israeli prisoner, former soldier Gilad Shalit, seems fairly incredible.  It is basically mind-boggling to me that a country would negotiate the exchange of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners to receive one Israeli prisoner.  It seems to be a completely practical solution for the Palestinians, to boost their legitimacy for the rest of the world, especially as they pursue a seat at the United Nations. 

Friday, October 14:

Today’s article on Michele Bachmann’s Christian law training at Oral Roberts University is just another reminder to me of the danger that religion-influenced politics poses to our current government system and the continued separation of church and state.  I personally have no problem with someone’s religious and moral beliefs informing their own opinions, but when they then try to impose those beliefs on the majority, and then it becomes a significant problem.  I think that the subtle hints of Bachmann trying to tone down her Christian roots to appeal to larger audiences who may not have such a strong Christian background as she does.  It gets added to the list of things in her past that Michele Bachmann tries to hide, like the fact that she used to work for the IRS. Perfect Tea Party material.      

I thought that the article on India’s incredibly competitive schools of higher education (cut-off rates of 100%?  How is that possible…) was good.  I suppose it is because of the growing population and limited number of schools, they would fill up quickly.  I can’t imagine declaring Dartmouth a ‘safety school.’ I wished that the article covered more about India’s final examination process, which sounded more than just a little intense and scary.  I think if they had gone a little bit deeper exploring the process and impact of the final exam on the lives of students, it would have made for a more interesting article.  I also wanted to know a little bit more about the demographic of the kids who actually do apply for these schools.  Are they upper class, middle class, etc?  What is the class status that determines one’s future in India? 

Portsmouth School Board Meeting Piece - Ella N

At last night’s Portsmouth School Board meeting, tensions were high as parents and school board members debated a new measure that would require students with disciplinary problems during the week to attend a school session on Saturday.

In response to increased disciplinary problems in the last year, including smoking in bathrooms, School Board member Tim Steel proposed a slightly unorthodox idea that would replace detention during the week with attending extra school on the weekend. 

Steel cited the climbing statistics of disciplinary issues as justification for the measure.  In the last year alone, 154 students were required to serve what is known as ‘in-house’ suspensions, meaning they had to spend a full school day in an empty classroom under the supervision of a faculty member.

Punishing student disciplinary problems outside of school hours proved to be a divisive subject, with many parents on the opposing side.

Parent Peggy Bacon voiced a concern other parents no doubt had as well.  “I work six days a week – including Saturday morning,” Bacon said.  “It’s bad enough to get my son off to school Monday through Friday.  Why should I have to worry about Saturday as well?”

For Bacon and other residents, time constraints were not the only issue.  “The parents are going to have to pay for it – in higher taxes as well as in ruined Saturdays,” Bacon said. 

Steele admitted that the plan inconvenienced students and parents, but stated his belief that it would be better in the long run to help end disciplinary problems.  “I know this isn’t good news for parents,” Steele said, “but I hope the threat of Saturday classes will make the students think twice before breaking the school rules.” 

Other Portsmouth residents agreed.

Resident Bob Farley voiced his approval of the measure and shifted blame on the parents. “It’s time parents in America were made to take a little responsibility for their kids,” Farley said.  “Parent’s aren’t teaching their kids any discipline, so the kids have no respect for the rules. Maybe if they have to miss a few Saturday morning cartoons they’ll wise up.”

Bacon maintained that even if her son has a disciplinary issue, she would still not make him attend the session.  “I know my son isn’t perfect, and I know he’ll probably wind up on the Saturday list at some point,” she said, “but I’m not going to force him to go.  I just don’t think it’s going to make any difference.”