Broadcast Critique Blog Post

Samantha Rozenblum

JOUR 225-001

Due: Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Local News Critique Blog Post

7News WSVN.com Miami/Fort Lauderdale – local branch of Fox News

http://www.wsvn.com/story/22610002/watch-7news-live

To complete this assignment, I streamed the local channel 7 news for Miami and Fort Lauderdale live on the internet while stuck in the airport on a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina. Right away, this exemplifies the strong and wide-ranging impact of video broadcasting compared to other forms of newswriting. I watched the WSVN Channel 7 news, which is Fox news on the local level, on Saturday, November 29 at 11 p.m.

To compare video broadcasting with the style of print writing, I found that the news I watched gave very brief blips of a story. I recognized the dramatic unity and the climax, cause and effect structure of the stories mentioned. However, I also recognized that there must not have been a multitude of local stories for that day because the broadcasters spent about a minute giving extra details and statistics to their stories, mentioned national news topics such as the Ferguson case and the Pope’s activities in Istanbul, and also repeated the weather report three times.

Audio or Video Impact: The audio and video impact of this news broadcast enabled the broadcaster to use fewer descriptions and allowed the images and video clips to speak for themselves. The first story told for the night was a local apartment fire, and I was kept entertained and intrigued as the story transitioned from the reporter, to images of the fire, to an interview with a man living in the apartments, back to the fire, and then to an interview with a fire fighter. I thought this had a great audio and video impact because, in less than two minutes, I saw the apartment before, during, and after the fire, heard the details of how it started, and listened and empathized with the inhabitants of the apartment who are all uninjured but are now homeless.

Timeliness: The weather report excellently exemplified the timeliness of this news story. In south Florida, the weather is extremely variable around this time of year and often dramatically changes from a clear, sunny day to a torrential downpour that can definitely ruin a person’s afternoon plans. The weather reporter broadcasted the weather for the day and for the week and was surprisingly thorough – again indicating that it may have been a slower news day – and repeated his report three times throughout the 30 minute show. He utilized the phrase “breaking news” when discussing what must have been a change in the weather report and also the phrase “more on this in a moment” to transition back to the next news story.

Information, not Explanation: Like many local and national news stations this weekend, WSVN reported on the busy travel of Thanksgiving weekend. This story is logical and easy to report on, and the news anchor showed a couple of interviews with individuals from the Miami International Airport, commenting on how the airport was busy, but not as busy as they had expected it to be. The reporter also gave several statistics to move the story along and fill time, reporting that 1.5 million people will pass through the “FLL” and “MIA” airports this weekend. He simply listed the facts and did not belabor the point.

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Press Release - due 11/13

For more information contact
Samantha E. Rozenblum
Liberty University
(954) 629-0346

For release after 11:45 a.m.
Friday, November 15

Liberty University Announces 10 Percent Tuition Decrease

After steadily increasing tuition for five years, the university finally offers students relief.

The prestigious and rapidly expanding Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, has announced that, despite its immense recent growth, it will be decreasing tuition in order to keep prices in-market for students.

This tuition decrease encompasses all students: in-state, out-of-state, graduate and undergraduate students. As a result of the university’s recent explosion, students have been hit hard with tuition increases, particularly out-of-state students.

In the past five years, enrollment has increased from 14,500 students to 16,275 students this year; however, last year’s total enrollment was 16,700 students and applications for this semester were projected to decrease by 10 percent had it not been for the tuition decrease.

Liberty University recognizes that though it is expanding, the university must remain affordable for the demographic of students it seeks to attract, even if it is at the expense of some of the programs Liberty can currently afford to offer.

“Cutting tuition means a reduction in our income, and that reduction will have to be made up in other areas. No faculty or staff member will lose his or her job because of these cuts, but we will not be able to offer as many of the programs as we have in the past,” says university president Jerry Falwell Jr.

Falwell continues that he is “very pleased” that a majority of these programs will be absorbed into other areas of the university. The students involved in these specific programs will have to find more generic alternatives.

These programs include: women’s studies, the ornithology department, the arts and sciences honors program, men’s and women’s golf teams, the human resources management institute, the university hosts and hostesses program, and the department of Eastern languages.

Liberty University, founded in 1971, is the largest Christian University in the world and fervently seeks to train champions for Christ in all arenas of life. For questions or more information, call (434) 582-2000 or to schedule a visit, email visitorscenter@liberty.edu. 

Advertising Project

Copy Platform :

Ad Subject: Liberty University Football - IGNITE Your LU Flames Football Season

Ad Problem: Student attendance to football games has dropped by 25% in the last 5 years

Product Characteristics:
1. FIRE UP before the game with a new and better Gillville and a Carnival-esque Tailgate.

     2. Give us your best SMOULDER and interact with LU Football social media; the more interaction, the more perks!

     3. Stay throughout the entire game in order to attend IGNITE,  an after-party social event (approved late night),

·         Wristband/Stamp given upon entrance to the game allows free entrance to the social.

·         Awards for players as well as most dedicated fans

Advertising Objective: To allure students to attend the games weekly and to be excited enough to plan their weekend schedules around the festivities surrounding the game. We want to foster community between the study body, the sports teams, and even the local community through the new Tailgate Carnival and IGNITE After-Party.

Target Market: Directly, students of Liberty University. Indirectly, local vendors and organizations who would like to advertise or make an appearance at the carnival tailgate.

Competition: Other “social events” such as football games at UVA or Virginia Tech, outdoor activities, private group socials, etc.

Statement of Benefit or Appeal: IGNITE your weekend and enjoy your revitalized Liberty Flames Football experience to the fullest.

Creative Theme:

·         FIRE UP

·         SMOULDER

·         IGNITE

Supportive Selling Points:

·         More involvement (via social media, attendance, enthusiasm/spirit, etc.), more perks

Sponsored Content Piece 

A Whole New Spark : FIRE UP, SMOULDER and IGNITE your Flames football weekend like never before

Do you feel like your weekend is lacking that special spark?

The Liberty Flames football team is hotter than ever, but there is just one problem. To many fans, the football games have lost their spark. This is all about to change.

Liberty University is revamping the definition of college football, taking everything we Flames know about Saturday night lights and throwing it as kindling for the fires of what’s to come.

LU plans on turning up the heat and capturing the heart of Flames Football in three big ways, telling fans to:

·   FIRE UP before the game
·  SMOULDER during the game, and
·  IGNITE after the game

First, the excitement of FIRE UP begins Friday night with a new and better Gillville, complete with better games and Snowflex-quality music. The festivities are amplified Saturday with a carnival-esque tailgate experience – yes, think this past Homecoming Weekend - complete with food vendors and booths for face-painting, henna, and more.

This not only enables members of the community to partake in our carnival tailgate experience, but also allows clubs and groups within the school to present themselves each week. If you or your group would like to host a booth at the upcoming carnival tailgates, register on myLU.

Second, fans are encouraged to SMOULDER throughout the game by tweeting selfies, score predictions, and other encouragement for the players. Be following LU on all social media, because there will be various media challenges posted each week where participants can win anything from a shout-out in Convocation to Flames Cash.

Finally, fans that stay throughout the game will be able to freely attend IGNITE, an approved late-night social event directly after the game, typically hosted in the lobby of the Lahaye Student Union.

A stamp given upon exiting the game after the 3^rd quarter ends will allow free entrance to the social, which is a chill environment for Flames fans to cool off, get warm foods like soup and hot chocolate, and build relationships.

IGNITE will announce the winners of the SMOULDER media challenges, and promises to boast a different, thrilling theme each week dependent on the opponent school and time of year. Bonfires and fan awards are also part of what IGNITE will offer.

The players have been practicing their victory dance…Have you been practicing yours? Bring your body heat on over to support your Flames and together let’s bring this new tradition to life!

Advertising Project Ideas

Advertising Project Ideas

• advertise something NEW with LU football
• emphasize football games are new and better
• link to coach's new vision for the team, or for a statement by one of the players
• emphasize football players - our FLAMES need to be FANNED
• link to videos of the players getting pumped up
• create a theme for the next football game and encourage students to dress up and participate for cash prizes
• boast other popular things like a raffle, discounts in the bookstore, 

Other Ideas: 

-tailgating

-food vendors 

-THE social event of the weekend 

-stay at the games

-rewards! - link to social media

-clicker interaction

-themed tailgate - continue on to games 

Exercise 10.1 - 80's Zales Ad

Name: Zales Diamonds
Advertisement: Lost

1. The promise of the benefit being offered by this headline is that if you, the consumer, are lost and confused, that Zales: The Diamond Store will have all your answers. Even if you don't know the difference between a carat and a carrot, Zales is all you need to know.

2. The illustration artfully guides the reader's eyes from the bold text of "Lost." to the Zales logo by an intricate and beautiful path of sparkling diamond rings. The text is the central focus of this ad, but the jewelry dramatically enhances the visual appeal, and sort of follows in the whimsical fashion in which the text was written. The rings stand as proof for what the ad claims about how Zales selects their diamond, even including the price range in the fine print assuming that some readers will want to buy one of the pieces from the ad.

3. The headline of this ad reads "Lost," assuming that the audience is lacking direction on their jewelry purchase. The body copy strives to affirm to the audience that the Zales representatives are trustworthy, professional and truly the masters in their field.

4. This ad provokes readers to take their all their jewelry questions to the Zales "experts" because they are the masters of diamonds. Even the simplicity of their subtitle "The Diamond Store" leaves no room for confusion on what Zales specializes in; it's not "a" diamond store but it is "the" diamond store.

Christians in the Field of Persuastion

     As ambassadors for Christ, it is absolutely essential for Christians to dive into the field of persuasion and advertising.

     In an industry that entices the world with promises of beauty, status, peace, clarity, and ultimately fullness of joy, followers of Christ can view this work environment not merely as a showcase for their own creativity but also as their mission field.

     However, this is no simple task by any means because of the pull between financial success and the way we ought to live and communicate truth as defined by the Bible.

     Christians in the advertising world reach a moral dilemma when their companies and the nature of the industry expect near-idolatrous devotion and promotion to a product or cause that the Christian knows will not make any consumer truly happy forever. That cup of coffee, those shoes, that vacation, or whatever it may be produces a satisfaction that is temporary at best!

     However, Christians in advertising can use their persuasive powers for good. In a skillful and still highly persuasive way, the creative Christian can capture their audiences attention by emphasizing the goodness and enjoyment of their product in a wholesome setting (which drives consumers to praise God), rather than taking the easy cop-out for grabbing attention by emphasizing a product’s sensuality.

     First Timothy 4:3-5 says that, "[Some] forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer."

     Not only can Christians enter the field and thrive because of the Holy Spirit inside them (Who can provide them with vision as to how to success in business and simultaneously glorify God), but Christians can also use visual rhetoric to promote non-profits that seek to help others and glorify God as well. Advertisers can use their abilities to promote self-sacrificing nonprofits, and even link them up with larger, more lucrative corporations and donors.

     Rather than enticing consumers with unrealistic claims and misleading prices, the Christian persuader can be convicted by truth to use their abilities to send out messages for the genuine good of their audiences. 

Response to The Persuaders

Response to The Persuaders

The Persuaders, a FRONTLINE documentary about the philosophy of advertising, sought to highlight the heights and depths that advertisers will venture in order to facilitate a “brand experience” for a sleepless consumer market.

The amount of time, research, rhetoric, psychology, ingenuity, and immense funding that is pumped into the advertising business is astounding. In this documentary, I was particularly struck by:
• The constant pull by advertisers for our emotions in order to foster brand loyalty
• The work of Clotaire Rapaille
• & The intrusive collection of information by Acxiom

First, the advertising industry is endless and all-encompassing; there are ads in nearly every corner of our 24-hour-day.

I was intrigued when the documentary discussed the impacts of “emotional branding,” and how a positive brand experience can breed a literal “cult-like devotion.” Market researchers picked up on this in such a way that they actually study cults and apply those emotional principles to the way that they construct their advertisements.

Second, Clotaire Rapaille, a phenomenally successful market research guru, was perhaps the most interesting part of this video to me. Formerly a child psychologist, Rapaille applies his Freudian background to marketing and teaches that consumers are driven by unconscious impulses and associations.

Rapaille calls this his “code” on luxury, and he teaches seminars where he helps clients to unlock their own past and to apply the principles of object-emotion association to reach consumers. I loved the three stages of his creative sessions and the way that he coaxed the participants into a new way of thinking.

Thirdly, the video mentioned Acxiom, a massive data base that not only tracks most details of a person’s life and spending habits, but also projects where they will be in the future based on their current lifestyle. This data base and others track internet searches, vacation spots, hobbies, demographics, and goes on to sell this information to other advertising companies so that they can advertise exactly what we like exactly where we are.

The Persuaders mentioned how commercials tell us that we come first, immediately appealing to our self-centered human nature. Ads tell us they want us to live better, longer and happier, and to splurge on ourselves because we’re worth it. This technique of elevated flattery extends beyond advertising into most other spheres of life, from politics to relationships. I liked how the documentary concluded with the true statement that “we are all persuaders.”






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CNA #5 - Pop Culture

CNA #5

1. ‘Exodus’ star Christian Bale on playing Moses: ‘You can’t out-Heston Charlton Heston’

Christian Bale will play Moses in the newest Biblical film, "Exodus: Gods and Kings," set to come out in December this year. Producer Jenno Topping emphasizes the complexity of the production, complete with epic battles and aerial panoramas of ancient cities, all in 3D CGI. Bale studied Moses from sources spreading from Jonathan Kirsh (a Jewish author) to the Koran.

2. Carrie Underwood dishes about 'weird' pregnancy and 'uplifting' new song

Earlier this month, Carrie Underwood tweeted her pregnancy announcement and continued to express her excitement when she appeared on the TODAY Show Friday. Underwood will also perform Saturday at a Global Citizen Festival in New York put on by the Global Poverty Project, which aimes to end extreme poverty by 2030. Underwood also mentioned her new, uplifting song, "Something in the Water," which will be released Monday.

3. Hollywood’s attack on men: Will the industry change its gender stereotyping following UN summit?

Ivy League graduate and a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, actress Emma Watson called out Hollywood for portraying men as "lazy, clueless, emasculated idiots" in a speech at the United Nations last week. Watson advocates for men's and women's equality with the HeForShe initiative, which recognizes that men suffer from stereotypes as well. Current new movies, commercials, and TV shows more frequently portray men as "dingdongs" and Watson says that, “women have to wake up and start switching on that ‘equality’ we supposedly score so high at.”

Exercise 7.4 - Fun Things to do in (or near) Lynchburg this Fall:

Fun Things to do in (or near) Lynchburg this Fall:

Pumpkin patch

If you are eager to experience the beauty of autumn in Virginia this year, Silver Creek  and Seamans’ Orchards boast a plethora of activities including apple picking, an apple butter festival and a pumpkin patch.  Located near Lovingston, Virginia, these orchards are just about a 45 minute drive from the campus of Liberty University, making it a wonderful weekend activity for students and faculty. If you are interested in getting a variety of apples (Jonathan, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Virginia Gold, Mutsu, Jonagold,  September Wonder & Empire) and ciders, as well as a sweet fall experience, go check it out!

Bland County Festival of Leaves

If you find yourself on the I-77 either Saturday, October 11 or Sunday, Oct. 12, get off at the Bland exit and come on down to the Bland County Fairgrounds Festival of Leaves. This fall festival boats savory fresh food, games, crafts, exhibits, duck rides, hayrides, horseshoes, a Confederate living history display, and fun for people of all ages. The festival also has a lineup of music entertainment and promises to be a weekend of fun and relaxation.

Mountain Meadow Corn Maze

Mountain Meadow Farm and Craft Market is hosting the Corn Acoustics Corn Maze, a musically themed four acre corn maze promising fun and adventure for all ages. The maze is located in the Meadows of Dan, Virginia, and is open weekends through September and October, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. This year, the new design of the maze features “a fun farm scene with a barn and silo, a friendly cow and a happy pig jumping over a smaller pig,” and a new theme for the kid’s activities called “Get Unplugged, Get Outdoors.”

Bethel Mennonite Fall Festival

Bethel Mennonite Church of Gladys, Virginia, is hosting a fall festival from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 25. This cozy festival will offer delicious food for breakfast and lunch: homemade donuts and sausage biscuits, free coffee and hot chocolate, along with famous grilled chicken and hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and ice cream.  The festival will also have fun activities for you and your friends to enjoy such as a benefit auction, a yard sale, and a bake sale, so bring a few extra bucks to spend on some fresh fall essentials.

50 of the Best Paleo Pumpkin Recipes

Looking for a guilt-free way to enjoy fall's favorite flavor this season? Whether or not you actually try out the Paleo diet, it has never hurt anybody to try out some new pumpkin desserts. In this list of the 50 best paleo pumpkin recipes, you'll find recipes from granola to ice cream to waffles to soup to custard. You name it, and it probably tastes better and more autumn-esque with a dose of pumpkin. Check this out!



(last entry, with a list)

4 Great Fall Date Ideas:

1. Football : Bond over a local game of college football. Don't forget to explain the plays to her!

2. State Fair : A fair will most likely be chocked full of activities like bobbing for apples, hayrides, live music, games for prizes, and cheap food.

3. Apple Picking : 'Tis the season for apple picking! If you are lucky, your local orchard might even offer delicacies like apple butter and cider.

4. Foliage Drive and Picnic : Hop in the car and admire the awesome fleeting beauty of the leaves falling all around you. Pack a picnic and blanket and enjoy a romantic afternoon outdoors.

Exercise 6.3

Chicken Truck Causes Pile-Up


     Monday at 6 p.m. the casual pedestrians on McFarland Boulevard received a “fowl” card when out of nowhere a semi-truck carrying 300 chickens made an illegal left turn, causing an accident that left 25 people injured and 11 cars piled-up.
      Among the animal casualties, at least 30 chickens are dead and as many as 40 are at large, with many others trapped inside the vehicle until fireman could arrive.
      The chickens were property of Alabama Poultry, Inc. - who has stressed that all chickens found should be returned -  and were en route to one of the company’s new farms near Gadsden. Alabama Poultry, Inc. owns about 2,000 chickens and supply eggs to IGA stores all across the south. In total, the dead and missing chickens are worth over 700 dollars – each chicken is insured for roughly 10 bucks – not to mention profit lost in the number of eggs that were smashed along the way.
    So why did the chickens cross the road? Chicken truck driver, Jeff Johnson, 45, was among the injured and was transported to DCH with bruises and a possible broken ankle; he commented that he lost control of the vehicle and was not expecting such a dramatic end to his Monday night.
     A retired local kindergarten teacher, Sarah Bernell, 63, was out for a drive with her nephew when she was caught up in the accident, and she was taken to the hospital with injuries also. Clarence DiMotta, the hospital spokesperson, reports that both Johnson and Bernell are in good condition.
     Sergeant John Jones reported it was the biggest pile-up he’d ever seen, and that by far “the worst part was the screams of the chickens." As he surveyed the accident in the heat of the afternoon, he could not help himself from proposing fried eggs for dinner.



Summary: A semi-truck carrying 300 chickens made an illegal left turn causing an accident Monday evening on McFarland Boulevard, causing a 12-car pile up and injuring 25 people, along with killing at least 30 chickens.



Writing Tips for News Stories:
*Use short paragraphs (3 sentences at very most, typically 1-2 sentences)
*Remember rules for direct quotes - they must be their own paragraph, at the beginning of the paragraph... "quote," person said.
*Write in complete sentences!
*Proper Age
*Comma Usage

CNA #4 - Sports Stories

1. Jameis Winston gives NFL teams another red flag

Based upon talent alone, Jameis Winston, quarterback for Florida State, should surely be a first-round draft pick for the NFL; however, his behavior off the field might cause some problems for him in the future. Winston cannot manage to keep himself out of trouble, and after being previously accused of raping another Florida State student, he has been suspended for the first half of the big upcoming game against Clemson because of yelling a very vulgar sentence in a crowded area of campus. Winston apparently thought the comment would be funny after hearing the phrase on some viral videos, but nonetheless his continued offenses will likely put him under a lot of scrutiny, more personal than performance.

2. NFL, union agree to new drug policy, HGH testing

As early as the end of the month, the NFL will have testing for the hormone HGH, additionally altering their performance-enhancing drug policy and the length of suspensions. These new rules will allow Broncos' Wes Welker, Dallas Cowboys defensive back Orlando Scandrick, and St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey, who had all been suspended for four games, to return. Players who test positive during the off-season will no longer be suspended but instead referred to the substance abuse program, and players who test positively during the season will be suspended, but for a lesser amount of games; two for a masking agent, four for banned substances, and a second offense is a eight to ten game ban.

3. Reggie Bush says he'll discipline his daughter 'harshly'

In light of the recent scandal of Adrian Peterson allegedly beating his child, Reggie Bush has responded saying that he will discipline his one-year-old daughter "harshly" if needed, but does not believe in abuse. Nike recently revoked all support of Peterson, giving Bush a reason to choose his words carefully when he tweeted out his statement. Peterson has claimed that he is not a child abuser either, but rather that he is disciplining his kids in the same way that he was disciplined as a child, and that he has learned a lot about parenting from this situation.

Exercises 5.10-11

5.10
Plant Accident - blind lead
Who: Duane LaChance, 53, a pipe fitter
What: accidentally touched a power line carrying 15,000 volts and suffered 3rd degree burns, currently hospitalized
Where: Petal Municipal Power Plant
When: today (Monday)
Why: accident
How: touched wrench to the power line

     A Gross Engineers pipe fitter checked into the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital Monday on account of third-degree burns obtained after accidentally touching a wrench to a power line carrying 15,000 volts.
     Duane LaChance, 53, was installing new pipes on the roof of the Petal Municipal Power Plant, 222 Power Drive, when the accident occurred at 3 p.m., according to Henry Rosen, the project manager for Gross Engineers.

McCartney Illness - summary
Who: Peter McCartney, famous singer
What: hospitalized, throat surgery scheduled tomorrow
Where: entered Riverside Hospital from Bennett auditorium
When: midnight Sunday
Why:voice reduced to a whisper at his concert
How:

     Singer Peter McCartney checked into Riverside Hospital late Sunday night, and is scheduled for an exploratory throat surgery that will take place sometime Monday morning.
     McCartney lost his voice in front of 1,000 fans when he performed Sunday at the Bennett Auditorium, after which he went immediately to the hospital.

BOE Meeting- summary
Who: Hattiesburg Board of Education, specifically Max Hoemmeldorfer (assistant superintendent)
What: announcements of dropped enrollment, new dress code, cheap meats
Where: school board
When: Monday morning
Why: drop in enrollment called for a board meeting
How:

     "A bleak future" for Hattiesburg education was addressed Monday as the local Board of Education convened to discuss additional enrollment decreases (200 students this year), new dress code rules, and dairy product supplies.
     Assistant superintendent Max Hoemmeldorfer referred to the school's future as "bleak" on account of the third year of decreasing enrollment, and it will be interesting to see how the decisions for accepting a low bid for milk and banning miniskirts, blue jeans, and hair below the ears (for male students) will affect enrollment for next year.



5.11
Faculty in Plane Crash - plot/straight news (??)
Who: two professors from Backwater State University
What: both coincidentally flying on a plane that crashed upon take-off, killing 5 out of its 45 passengers
Where: crashed at Kennedy International Airport
When: Thursday night
Why:
How:

     A TWA jet crashed on takeoff at Kennedy International Airport Thursday night, killing five people out of the 45 total passengers and crew members aboard, including two associate professors from Backwater State University.
     John Dumont, professor of rural sociology, and George Johnson, professor of English, were both returning from separate conferences in New York City, and both thankfully escaped injury.

Meeman Speaks - straight news
Who: Pulitzer-prize-winning author Norman Meeman
What: spoke
Where: William Oxley Memorial Library
When: Monday at 4:30
Why: to talk about his book
How:

     Author Norman Meeman, most famous for his 2012 Pulitzer Prize winning book, My Life as Far as It Goes, spoke Sunday afternoon at the William Oxley Memorial Library in front of 67 eager mostly English students.
     Meeman gave the students wise advice when he said, "You can't be a great writer by imitating the styles of prize-winning authors. You've got to get our and sample life, learn how other people live, and then let your inner feelings pour out. These parodies they assign in college English courses are a bunch of hogwash." (?)

Professor Wins Award- blind/straight
Who: professor Clement Crabtree
What: won an essay competition
Where: Pennsylvania
When: last week
Why: for his essay "Plan for Peace"
How:

     Last Sunday in Pennsylvania, The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge announced its annual George Washington Honor Medal winners for their prestigious essay competition.
     Among the 32 winners was Clement Crabtree, a professor of horticulture, whose essay "Plan for Peace" promotes patriotism by urging free distribution of red, white and blue flower seeds in foreign nations.

Exercise 5.9 - In-Class

Crash - Blind Lead & Summary
Who: Rufus N. Hebernowski
What: Jet aircraft crash; killed Air Force major
When: Thursday at noon
Where: Super Shopping Mall
Why: unknown; Hebernowski had no known connections
How: unknown; 15 cars destroyed when aircraft crashed

Thursday at noon a jet crashed near the new Super Shopping Mall, killing its pilot, an Air Force major stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, along with crushing 15 empty parked cars.



City Council - straight news
Who: city council
What: meeting, decided to increase city property taxes ($50 yearly increase)
When: met this morning; higher tax rate will take effect next month
Where:
Why: tax $ will be used to expand city park
How:

City council met Thursday morning and voted to raise city property taxes by 10 percent, effective next month, increasing average taxes by about $50 yearly which will be spent expanding the city park.

University Raises - blind

Who: Harold R. Drazsnak, university vice president for finance

What: announced 15% raise for all staff

When: raise will take effect this fall

Where: announcement made on front steps of university’s admin. building

Why: because of increased revenue from the state; first raise for faculty in two years

How:

For the first time since 2012, Liberty University announced that, thanks to increased revenues from the state, all staff will receive a 15 percent raise that will go into effect this fall.



Journalism Students Meet - blind/summary
Who: 200 journalism students (Journalism Students Association)
What: decided to boycott all journalism classes Monday to protest (10%) tuition increase
When: met Friday, boycott Monday
Where: LU
Why: tuition increase
How: 

Friday 200 angry members of the Journalism Students Association at Liberty Universisty met and decided to boycott all journalism classes Monday in protest of the impending 10 percent tuition increase. 

CNA #3 World News

1. Meet the Kurdish Women Fighting ISIS in Syria

As ISIS continues to seize land and inflict terror with their claim of a new cross-border caliphate, several thousand Kurdish women are choosing to fight back, enlisting in the Women’s Protection Unit, or YPJ, which sprung from the wider Kurdish resistance movement. These women, who are mainly unmarried and between the ages of 18 and 24, have chosen to live lives of discipline and austerity to say the least; their grueling schedules include getting roughly six hours of sleep and 4 a.m. workouts preceding their drills and classroom lessons. However, though many of these women have never fought before their training, it is said that they inspire great fear in their ISIS enemies who believe that if they are killed by a woman they will not go to heaven.


2. 5 Things That May Happen if Scotland Votes for Independence

With the vote just one week away, British politicians head north to advocate against Scotland's choice to vote to become independent from Great Britain, which currently includes  England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If these politicians fail and Scotland still votes to secede, some major changes will take place, the greatest of which perhaps being the dissolution of Great Britain and the Union Jack (the red-white-and-blue flag which represents Great Britain). Though the Queen will still remain on the throne, there would be many changes spanning from Scottish currency exchange, to the question of a new prime minister, to the nuclear weapons that Scotland has been storing for England.


3. Kentucky Teacher Found Dead in Chile

Police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old woman from Kentucky who was found Saturday at an apartment in Chile. Erica Hagan, a young English teacher from Georgetown College, a private Christian school, traveled to Chile to serve there as a teaching assistant. Her body appeared to have been stabbed with sharp objects, and she had also sustained head injuries, while Chilean police investigate the story as a possible homicide.

Exercises 3.6, 3.7, 3.8

Exercise 3.6

1. The first rutabaga eating contest was cancelled because of adverse weather.
2. It's not all right to drink excess beer before going to the football game.
3. As Einstein said all knowledge is relative. (p 219)
4. The state Capitol of Louisiana is located at 3722 Dagwood Road.
5. The mayor refused to go along with the city council vote. "I dissent," he stated.
6. Madonna certainly has a flair for fashion; she always wears expensive outfits. (?)
7. The bomb destroyed Sen. Kitsmoot's bird cage.
8. My bright green Chevrolet, which is in the garage, needs a new transmission.
9. Knopke's hilarious joke elicited laughter from the Midville City Council. (p 47)
10. Jones lay on the floor waiting for the job interview to begin. 
11. Horowitz, an ethics major, vowed never to compromise his principles.
12. At the end of the book report, Haynes cited the World Book as a source.

Exercise 3.7

1. The 25-year-old man wept as he left Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
2. Nov. 10 will mark our anniversary.
3. Don't park the car on Rodeo Drive. Instead, park it at 12 Davies St.
4. They spent $130 to buy a new set of nose rings.
5. Smoots moved to the North because the people there are so nice. (p76)
6. The rodeo will begin in the Town Square tonight at 7 p.m.
7. On Thursday, the terrorists blew up their home at 123 Melrose St.
8. Twenty-two seamstresses were needed to mend the prom dresses.
9. About five percent of the professors have lost their hair.
10. After two feet of snow had fallen at his home in Columbus, Ohio, Jones decided to leave.
11. Smith bet $50 that her brother weighed more than a 1964 Chevrolet.
12. John Smith, the governor of California, set his trailer on fire Sept. 1.
13. A fire began at 3325 McDonald Drive when an oven full of rutabagas exploded.
14. During the 1970s, everyone wore bell-bottom blue jeans to church.

Exercise 3.8

1. In August of 1985, Davies rented a rutabaga stand in Augusta, Georgia.
2. Pomerantz tied the beehive to Senator Gramm's cowboy hat.
3. About 1,200 Easter rabbits were killed in the explosion at Big Dave's Bunny Warehouse, located at 2525 Hackensack Drive.
4. In the 1980s, Davies left the Midwest and moved to the Loire Valley in France.
5. Smoots brought two cups of coffee to the governor.
6. About 8 percent of the cantaloupes have been stuffed with rutabagas.
7. Jones bet $40 that his roommate had hidden the sandwich.
8. The three university professors share a house at 613 25th Ave.
9. After two feet of snow fell at his home in Columbus, Ohio, Davies decided to leave the Midwest and move to the South. 
10. On Dec. 11 all classes will be cancelled .
11. The mayor skipped her aerobics class Tuesday morning.
12. Davies drove 2 million miles in his old Toyota Corolla before it blew up.
13. Dr. Kildare said he had filed a malpractice lawsuit against Marcus Welby.
14. At 8 p.m., Gov. Jim Guy Tucker of Arkansas will give a short speech in front of the Gorgas Library. 

CNA #2 - National News

1. American Ebola patient speaks out as another is identified

CNN reports on Dr. Rick Sacra, a married physician from Massachusetts as well as the most recent American to have contracted the Ebola virus while in West Africa for medical mission work. Sacra returned to West Africa after hearing of his fellow missionaries - Nancy Writebol and Dr. Kent Brantly - who contracted the disease and were flown back to the U.S. to be treated back in August; however, the ZMapp experimental drug that was given to Writebol and Brantley is no longer available, thus removing it as a possibility for Sacra. Writebol, recognized as "salt of the earth" by members of her home church in North Carolina, has miraculously recovered from Ebola and attributes her survival to the ZMapp drug, the attention of her doctors, and her faith.


2. Exonerated North Carolina men freed from prison

Two death row inmates, Henry McCollum, 50, and his half-brother, 46-year-old Leon Brown, were released from prison Wednesday after serving 30 years. The men were falsely accused of raping and murdering a young 11-year-old girl, whose actual murderer was arrested for another killing of the same kind just a month after McCollum and Brown were sentenced. With low IQs and no money, and at the time of the incident just 19 and 15-years-old, McCollum and Brown were essentially coerced into confessing but, upon their release from prison, are quoted for saying that they do not harbor any anger, but are just eager to see that their life outside of bars is not a dream; the men are unfamiliar with everything from the Internet to seat-belts to regular social interaction.


3. iPhone 6 fans already lining up a week before Apple unveils it

In typical fanatic fashion, Apple product lovers are already setting up camp outside of the Apple store anticipating the iPhone 6, which will be released next Tuesday. The newest iPhone shares many traits of its other smartphone competition, such as the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, and Galaxy S5, along with the HTC One, additionally boasting a larger, 5.5-inch sapphire screen, opposed to the previous 4.7-inch screen made out of Gorilla Glass. There are also rumors buzzing of Apple's new "iWatch," whose appearance is still a secret until its timely release as part of Apple's HealthKit.

Exercises 3.4-5

Exercise 3.3

1. He was charged with trafficking drugs.
2. Rev. Billy Graham said God is alive and his will shall triumph. (p 470)
3. The flag, which Francis Scott Key saw, has been preserved.
4. life like; outfielder, interracial, IOUs
5. Pianos; nationwide; PTA; Vietnam War
6. The train will arrive Tuesday at noon. 
7. The U.S. Census Bureau defines the South as a 16-state region.
8. The judge ruled that because of his verbal skills he had entered into an oral contract.*
9. She had an afternoon snack of Oreo cookies and Coke.
10. Harass; accommodate; weird; likable 
11. doughnut; pantsuit; plow; National Weather Service (p 170)

Exercise 3.4

1. The Department of Defense. is about to propose a new missile system.
2. FCC; hitch hiker; $3; 4 million
3. The three most important people in his life are his wife, son and mother.
4. part-time (hyphenate when used as a compound modifier) ; 10-year-old; 5 pm; 5,300
5. The Cardinals won the final game in the World Series 7-5.
6. Spring; Fall; south; South
7. Nov. 15; the last day of February; March 16
8. Thirteen people traveled to Austin, Texas, for the rally.
9. He had 10 cents left in his pocket.
10. home made; well-known; Italian-American; questionnaire

Exercise 3.5

1. The United States. is sometimes not the best market for U.S. products.
2. upward; British Labour Party; Riverside Avenue; cupfuls; eyeing
3. The Republican differed with the Democrat many times during the debate.
4. Drs. John Smith and Mary Wilson performed the operations.
5. goodwill; USS Eisenhower; cigarette; mid-America
6. He said that he was neither a Communist nor a member of the Communist Party.
7. After her surgery, she had to wear a pacemaker.
8. "What a hare-brained scheme!" she exclaimed. 
9. pre-empt; speed up; 55 mph; hooky
10. The Mafia was responsible for the murder. 

Wrong Homework

Exercise 3.13 - Using the Stylebook 11

1.  referendums; courts-martial (p 65) ; 1920s; dead ends
2. Daylight savings time begins the last Sunday in April. 
3. He made the Dean's List after Smith spoke to him.
4. The game that was scheduled for tonight was rained out.
5. He said, "the car would go further on premium gas."
6. The movie, which starred Sam Jones, received a R-rating.
7. ?? He had run the gauntlet of criticism and abuse for his views.
8. This woman was a German Jew.
9. judgment; Naval orange; irresistible; self-defense (?)
10. He played semi-pro baseball for three years.

Exercise 3.14 - Using the Stylebook 12

The Bay City Bluebirds rallied from a three-run deficit last night to defeat the Carmel Cardinals 6-3 and win the Western Tri-State Division Championship. 

The Bluebirds are now assured a place in the Tri-State playoffs, which begin next week.

Their opponent will be determined by the game tonight between the Santa Ana Generals and the Redwood Knights.

The Cardinals led the Bluebirds for most of the game, and had a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning.

With the Bluebirds up to bat in the eighth, Tim Story, the first-baseman, walked and stole second. Left fielder, Biff Carbosi, walked intentionally, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Cardinal's starter Ronnie Miller. Miller was soon after relieved by pitcher Chuck Nelson.

Bluebird second-baseman, Carbo Garbey, lined Nelson's first pitch deep into center field, bringing in two RBIs. Two pitches later, Garbey stole home to tie the game.

Nelson struck out the next two batters, but then Carey Clark, Bluebird catcher, homered to put the Bluebirds in the lead. The Bluebirds scored two more runs in the ninth inning to ensure their victory. 

CNA #1 : Liberty University

CNA #1 : Liberty University
by Samantha Rozenblum

1. Liberty University opens new medical school amid record enrollment

Thanks to a vast budget of nearly half a billion dollars (so far), the campus at Liberty University is exploding with new, state-of-the-art buildings. Since 2012, Liberty has added a medical school, three athletic stadiums, an artificial ski slope, a vehicular tunnel, a five-story parking garage, a three-story welcome center, and a $50 million library, and an equestrian center just to name a few. The brand new dorms are already at maximum capacity, but Liberty plans to continue to expand, ideally building enough residence halls to boost the resident population to 16,000 by 2020.

Prominence




2. At Liberty University, big goals _ and big money _ for football and other sports

Liberty University plans to fight their way into the Sun Belt Conference boasting new practice fields, expanded stadiums, 20 competitive varsity sports teams, and still preserving a lush bank account. Jerry Falwell Sr., the founder of the school, had a vision to make Liberty the "Notre Dame" of Christian universities and aspired to take the school to the next level, academically and athletically. Those who oppose Liberty's advancement to the Sun Belt Conference, claiming that "Liberty does not add anything to [their] profile," are loosing ground to stand on as Liberty increases in stature and reputation.

Conflict, Prominence


3. Record number of students on campus this semester

Liberty University is boasting their largest freshman class to date this year of roughly 7,700 students, raising the resident student population to about 13,800. All dorms are at maximum capacity, adding new dorms to the list of renovations in the $500 million dollar campus rebuilding. Dr. Mark Hine, senior vice president for Student Affairs, praises the growth of the student body in size and in relationship to each other.

Proximity

Exercise 1.13

Exercise 1.13

1. wore a white goatee
2. throughout the nation
3. was identified
4. appeared ill
5. a body found
6. in LA
7. cost ten dollars
8. broke a rule
9. for May
10. for a short time
11. a pioneer
12. the incumbent
13. will close
14. at 6th and Elm Street
15. to shock

What is "good writing?"

What is "good writing?"

     On the topic of teaching, American scholar, author and pastor, William Arthur Ward is quoted for saying that "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." I believe that the absolute same can be said to describe the art of writing, for the very essence and purpose of the written word is to express, communicate, and spread thought. Good writing is that which can adequately, and even alluringly, explain a concept or story, gently cradling the reader's attention and understanding and even elevating the reader to see a new viewpoint on a topic.

      As a reader, I have a very clear sense of what I believe defines good writing. The first element that I would say must be present in an article that is worth craning my eyesight for is one that provokes my immediate interest. In the first few sentences of an article, the battle for the reader's interest is won or lost, and having the right catch phrase - something not too cheesy, but also something intriguing - is essential. The diction that catches the reader's attention at the beginning of the paper is of course expected to continue throughout the piece; if the author's writing style were to change at some point in the paper without sufficient reasoning then the fluidity of the paper would disintegrate.

                A second quality of good writing requires the author to have earned credibility from their audience. Before the author gives their opinion, they must first prove why it even matters. This requires that the author know their audience, and thus their purpose, for writing the article so that they might subtly or boldly ensure their respect from the readers. Statistics, PhD’s, awards, photographs and even personal anecdotes or testimonies establish this credibility significantly.

                Going beyond ethos and intrigue, a third and final aspect of good writing is when the piece has an emotional impact on the reader. This can be achieved through appropriate word choice, and intentional emphasis of detail by the author. Plot twists and dramas can be found in even the most mundane of topics, and when the author so juxtaposes an article that it not only tells a story, but communicates a moral, even perhaps teaches a lesson or calls for a change for the better, a great victory has been achieved. The reader leaves the experience having felt interest, respect, and an emotional change that, in the absence of that article, might never have taken place.