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Monday, December 6, 2010

Third Local Attacked by Shark

Beaches will remain closed until future notice after a third victim of a shark attack was reported today in Amity.

James Parks, 30, was killed about 1:30 p.m. after a shark knocked him off of his rowboat and into the water.  The incident occurred in a small pond next to the main beach.  All that was found left of Parks was a severed leg with a shoe still intact.

Officials are urging people to stay out of the water and to report any sightings or incidents to the police or Coast Guard.

Shark Responsible for Deaths of Two Locals Caught

A day after Amity decides to close local beaches, the killer shark responsible for the deaths of two locals is caught and killed.

The shark was said to be the cause of the deaths of Alex B. Kintner, 10, and Christine W. Watson, 17, who were reported dead over the past couple of days.

Oceanographic Institute marine biologist Matt Hooper inspected the shark after being brought ashore and found the shark to be a nurse shark, one of the most brutal and dangerous sharks along the East Coast.

For his heroic actions, the fisherman who caught the shark one mile south-southwest of Amity will be rewarded $3,000.

Amity will immediately reopen beaches for the Fourth of July weekend following the capture of the shark.

With the capture of the shark, Amity is still taking precautions for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend by having shark spotters in the air, on boats, and from land from the Coast Guard, Marine Patrol, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Navy, Homeland Security, FBI, and other police agencies along the coast.

"They are simply a safety precaution that we hope will put our visitors at ease," Amity Police Chief Martin Brody said.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to return to the beach and get back to life before the attacks.

"I urge all our residents to recreate at the beaches in order to encourage the participation of all our visitors in the wonderful water sports if which we all so happily partake throughout the summer," Brody said.

Officials still want the public to be aware of their surroundings when heading back to the beach, though.  In the case of another shark spotting, Amity urges people to report sightings to authorities at their toll-free shark hotline, 1-800-sharksee.

Recently, a false alarm occurred at one of the beaches after two children snorkeled around with a cardboard fin.  People cleared the water in mass chaos as officials centered in on the fin.

Authorities assured the public that instances like this will be dealt with and the public should not fear of similar problems.

"We believe we can safely say that the danger of future shark attacks has probably passed," Brody said;  "Amity's darkest days are behind us."

Friday, December 3, 2010

Friday December 3

In Friday's paper, the big story in the Sports Section was the US losing the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids to Russia and Qatar.  The US was very disappointed to lose the bid to these countries after they felt they made a good case. Yes, it could have been very good for our country, but Americans are not as passionate about soccer as many other countries.  In Europe, the people are so passionate about soccer and pour their hearts into every game.  The atmosphere in those countries would be better than the Americans.  I'm not sure about the bid for Qatar and feel that it could have been better in a more western Europe country.  On the other hand, having the World Cup in the US could have given the sport the proper publicity and gotten more people interested in the sport.

Thursday night, Lebron made his awaited return to Cleveland after disappointing fans all around Ohio a couple of months ago.  James strutted onto the court like he still owned the place and that the booing fans did not even phase him. He even did his ritual chalk toss in front of Cleveland fans.  In post game interviews, he praised his new team and boasted about his teammates.  Fans were still very angry about James' departure and a fight even broke out in the crowd over someone holding a James jersey.  It is clear that Cleveland is still bitter about James' unexpected exit.
Police are looking further into the death of local girl after a local boy was fatally attacked by a shark in Amity on Monday.

Alex B. Kintner, 10, was swimming on his float Monday afternoon at Village Beach when he was viciously attacked and his float washed ashore is pieces surrounded by blood.

The cause of death is still unknown at the time, but police are saying it appears "to have been a vicious and unprovoked shark attack."

This comes just hours after police found the mangled body of Christine W. Watson, 17, washed ashore. At that time, police were not looking into a shark attack as her cause of death.

Watson was last seen by Christopher P. Hoggenbottam III after the two had left a party at South Beach.

Watson and Hoggenbottam had decided to go for a swim but Hoggenbottam passed out before entering the water.

"She was running into the water," Hoggenbottam said, "and next thing I know the police found her mangled body."

Police encouraged people to still go to the beach after Watson's death because they were not in the same danger.

After a second attack, a Town Hall meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. to discuss the closure of the beach and plans to hunt the shark thought to be the cause of death for both of the victims.

"I join Amity Major Bob Farley in expressing the town's deepest and most sincere condolences to the Kintner family," Police Chief Martin Brody said; "Now we know that these random acts of senseless violence, victimizing innocent, helpless citizens, do not just happen in the city."

Sidebar: Shark Attacks in New Hampshire

One of the biggest fears for New Englanders who live on the coast is sharks.  In reality, sharks do not pose much of a threat to the New England area.  There has not been an attack in New England waters in 75 years even though there have been many sightings over the years.

New Castle retired fisherman Jeff Cullen is not worried about a shark threat.  "All sharks can be dangerous, but they usually don't attack humans," Cullen said.  "Sharks do come in close to shore chasing fish."

In New England, there have only been five reported fatal shark attacks and the most recent occurred in 1936 in Mattapoint, Massachusetts.

There are three main sharks associated with attacks, Great Whites, Tiger, and Bull Sharks.  Out of the three, only Great Whites and Tiger are seen in New England.  There are also many other types of non-threatening sharks in the area as well.  Mako, poorbeagle, blue, and thrasher sharks have been sighted over the years.

Recently this year, there have been multiple sightings in the New Hampshire area.  In June, two sharks were spotted off the York, Maine coast.  In July, a 7-foot Great White was spotted off the coast of Cape Cod.  A dozen Great Whites were see off the coast of Cape Cod.

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, people are much likelier to get struck by lightning than be attacked by a shark.

For New Hampshire and other the rest of New England, sharks might keep people out of the water but rarely pose a great threat.  On the other hand, there is still a precaution that everyone should take when going to the beach.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Saturday November 27th

In Saturday's paper, there was the expected Black Friday article.  What wasn't expected was the increase of shoppers this year even though we are still in a pretty crippled economy. The funny thing about reading the article was it seemed like most people were shopping for themselves instead of shopping for Christmas.  I am guilty of this as well.  Many people will get the deals wherever they can get them and ultimately find things for themselves.  I think that people are insane for going to stores at 4 am or earlier or even 5 am.  I don't think that any kind of deal would get me up that early unless they were giving things away.The craziest thing was reading about the number of people that waited in line.  7,000 people were in line for the Macy's in Manhattan.  That's insane. 

In the Sports Section, there was an article about how the Jets are already talking about the Patriots game next week.  This is the most important game all season for both of these teams.  Whoever wins this game, will most likely win the division.  The other will most likely take the wild-card spot.  The big difference will be home field advantage in the playoffs. Both teams have already expressed their hatred for the other, including Tom Brady fully coming out and saying he hates the Jets.  In the Jets' postgame conference the other day, most of the questions asked were about the Patriots game and not of the game they had just won.  This game is winner takes all.

Friday November 26th

In Friday's paper, there was an article in the National Section about California, more specifically Los Angeles, and the curfews they have on the beaches.  These curfews have been put into place because of gang activities and homeless people sleeping on the beach.  Yes, this does get rid of this problem, but people who truly enjoy going to the beach between 12am & 5 am should be allowed to as long as they aren't participating in these activities.  They said that they have patrols on the beach which can keep this under control.  Being from Rhode Island, my friends and I frequent the beach at all times of the night.  We used to have fires on the beach all night and sometimes would go to watch the sunrise on the beach.  I'm a strong believer that the beach is a public place and that the government does not have a right to claim ownership and put restrictions on them.

In the Sports Section, there was an article about the Patriots and Lions Thanksgiving Game.  I loved how they included that Brady hugged  and jumped into a limo with owner Bob Kraft right from the post game conference and then they were police escorted away.  Brady ended the game with a perfect rating for the second time in his career and the first of any quarterback all season.
Police after investigating the cause of death of a local girl after her mangled body washed ashore on South Beach early Monday morning.

The police have no leads as to what caused the death of Christine W. Watson, 17, but are strongly suggesting that the cause was not a shark attack.

"No sharks have been sighted in that area in a long time," Amity Police Chief Martin Brody said.

Watson was last seen by Christopher P. Hoggenbottam III after the two had left a party at South Beach.  Watson and Hoggenbottam had decided to go for a swim but Hoggenbottam passed out before entering the water.

"She was running into the water," Hoggenbottam said, "and next thing I know the police found her mangled body."

Witnesses at the party said there had been heavy drinking and possibly marijuana. 

When asked about what could have been the cause of Watson's death, Brody said that packs of wild dogs are common in the area but was not sure of that factoring into the case.

At this time, there are no suspects in the case and police hope to find more information after the autopsy.  Watson's body was transported to a coroner's office to find the cause of death.

In the meantime, police are encouraging people to go to the beach as people are in no danger of similar attacks. 

"Our lovely beaches will remain open for swimming," Brody said, "pending the outcome of the investigation."

Monday, November 22, 2010

Monday November 22

In Monday's paper, there was in article in the New York section about a hotel in New York that offers an in-house tattoo artist for its guests.  This is one of the strangest things that I have ever heard.  I love tattoos and all but it is strange that a hotel would use this as a way to draw customers in.  Yes, it's new and inventive, but I don't think people would book a hotel specifically just for a tattoo artist.  The artist has done a number of celebrities' tattoos but that still would not get me to stay there.

On the front page, there was a story about how Black Friday is coming to the internet.  I think that this is a great idea.  I'm always afraid to leave my house on Black Friday because of the chaos surrounding the day and most people shop like idiots.  With this new internet idea, it gets rid of the hours in line, the hours waiting in the parking lot, and shopping with crazy people.  Especially with the way the economy is now, people are looking to save a penny anywhere they can get it.

In the front section, there was an article about a plane that left from JFK Airport and had to return after reports of a fire and engine trouble.  The plane was headed for Moscow and had to land an hour and a half later back at its original take off location.  I read somewhere else that Leonardo DiCaprio was on the flight as well.

In the Sports Section, I greatly enjoyed the article about the Patriots' win over the Colts.  I really enjoyed the lead of the story about after the game and how Brady was walking around with his son in his arms and Belichick strolling the field with a lacrosse stick. Finally, I really liked the ending quote from Manning saying how sick he felt about trying to go for the win instead of allowing Vinatieri to give it a chance at overtime.  In true Manning fashion, he wanted to be the hero and allow no one else to take a stab at it.

Sunday November 21

In Sunday's paper, there was a scary front page story about how North Korea is working on a new plant for nuclear use. North Korea's new plan is very unsettling for Americans and the rest of the world and this new plan is in direct violation of the United Nations.  Now, American is asking for help from China, who is North Korea's most powerful ally. By placing more pressure on North Korea, they might feel more threatened to not further any plans for this new nuclear plant. 

In the Travel section, there was a response to the "Childless Flights" article from a couple of days ago.  The woman who wrote the response was basically telling people to suck it up because there are other people on the  plane who make a great deal of noise too.  There are people who will sit next to you and tell you their whole life story.  This actually happened to me on a train ride one time.  I had my headphones on but the guy next to me persisted to tell me his whole life story for the entire train ride.  Luckily, it was only an hour and a half.  I understand where this woman is coming from but I am still in favor of the childless or child sections on flights.


In the Arts Section, there was a great review of Kanye West's new album.  This was one of the best albums reviews I had ever read.  The writer went so in depth to the album and the controversy that has been surrounding West for the past year.  He acknowledged the immense talent of West while still talking about his struggles and his unfavorable personality.

Saturday November 21

In Saturday's paper, there was an article on the front page about how investors have found a new way of making money: Latin American baseball players.  Kids are being trained to become professional baseball players in America and are not being educated.  Investors are being looked down upon because they are encouraging the non-education of these kids.  Teenagers ages 13-19 are put in baseball academies to perfect their talents.  Yes, this will provide these kids with a chance to make it big and provide for their families, but at the same time, they are not getting an education which could hurt them in the long run.  Most of these kids come from poor families and believe that it is their way out of this lifestyle.I just wish that these academies were also providing education.  For these investors, it's a business and in the end, they will be making large sums of money in exchange for these players.

Another interesting article concerned the pardoning of Jim Morrison almost 40 years after his conviction of "lewd behavior" after "exposing" himself to a crowd in Miami.  There was never proof that this occurred but he was still found guilty.  Even bandmate Manzerk said that it was a ridiculous accusation.  Even after his '71 death, fans still want Morrison's name cleared from the records and don't want this to taint his legacy.  As a Doors fan, I would definitely like to see Morrison's name cleared, especially if it was for a crime he never committed.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tuesday November 16th

In Tuesday's paper, there weren't a lot of "big" stories but there were some interesting ones.  On the front page, there was an article about how Itunes just made the big announcement that they acquired the rights to the Beatles catalog and will begin selling them on Wednesday. Itunes had been trying to get the rights to this catalog for a couple years now since its is the most well-known and largest collection to have.  With this new announcement, Itunes will see their revenue increase a great deal as many people will buy these albums and songs.  I wouldn't be surprised if these Beatles albums and songs dominated the Itunes charts for the next couple of weeks, nevermind the next couple of months.

The next interesting article pertained to the controversial new drink Four Loko, which can't seem to make its way out of news headlines for the past couple of weeks.  With all of the dangers that have been presented recently and the number of college students ending up in hospitals has caught the F.D.A's attention and now are expected to do something about it.  As more and more states are banning the drink, who knows how much longer this drink will be around.  The funny thing is though, that way before Four Loko came along, Vodka Red Bulls have been a very popular drink among college students; yet, nothing has ever been done about those.  People are always going to mix caffeine and alcohol whether or not this drink is banned or not.  The F.D.A thinks that they are going to fix the problem but there are always ways around it. 

In the Sports Section, there was a very small article about how the Yankees will be raising prices for seats next season.  After building their brand new stadium, the Yankees were criticized for their already high prices and now are going to increase those.  In this economy, only rich New Yorkers will be able to attend Yankee games instead of the American family. America's past time is now becoming available for only the rich man in New York now, well unless you want to see the Mets.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Sunday November 14th

In Sunday's paper, there wasn't a lot of big story news, rather there was little random articles.  On the front page, there were two very interesting stories.  The first one was about how cigarette companies are fighting with officials on tighter rules.  It is mandatory that companies cover 80% of their packaging with warning labels indicting the risks involved with their products in Uruguay. Many officials are trying to start an anit-smoking campaign and try to lower the percentage of people smoking.  It doesn't take a genius to know that smoking can kill you and I feel that people are going to smoke regardless of the labels on the packaging.  I personally don't smoke because I know of the hazards and do not feel that it is something to risk.  I do agree that advertising of the products should be decreased as it is sending the wrong message to the next generation.

Also on the front page was an article about melting glaciers in Greenland.  It's a very scary situation as scientists are predicting changes in sea level and how soon these changes will be occurring.  They are predicting that the sea level will rise by 3-5 feet in 2100.  Living in Rhode Island, I know that if this were to occur, most of Rhode Island would be affected as it is mostly surrounded by the ocean.  Also a great deal of major cities around the world would be affected.   

In the Travel Section there was a very interesting article about airplanes and people wanting child-free flights.  The minute I read this, I was in full support.  It always happens that there is a screaming child around me whenever I fly.  Not even the loudest headphones can block it out.  I would even be in favor of making family sections on the plane and then sit as far as possible from it.  It's an extremely difficult problem as people are restricted to such a limited space for very lengthy times. 

Tuesday November 9th

In Tuesday's paper, there were two articles that caught my attention.  On the front page, there was a story about the sentencing of a Connecticut man in a trial where he was accused of killing a mother and her two daughters.The man was found guilty and sentenced to death row.  The only problem with this is they do not know when, even if, the man will be put to death.  In Connecticut, there are people on death row who have been there for very long periods.  Connecticut has only executed one person who has been on death row.  So basically it's like saying, "We're sentencing you to death, but probably not."  It just doesn't make sense to me.  This man committed such a horrible crime and he deserves to pay for what he did.  He picked out this family in a parking lot and followed them home to see where they lived and then killed them for no reason. Any killing of a person deserves the death penalty, nevermind the killing of two innocent children.

In the Sports Section, there was an article about comments Vikings' couch Childress made after the game Sunday where he poked fun at comments by quarterback Favre.  Favre had previous said that he had never gotten a hug from the coach and jokingly said he could use one. The awful relationship between the two has been a clear issue all season and Childress's comments had the media in an uproar. Childress, who's job is in jeopardy after firing Randy Moss without the knowledge of the team, probably should not be making such jokes at this time.  I mean, when the crowd is chanting to fire the coach, you probably shouldn't make them angrier. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Childress is fired before the end of the season.  He's bringing such a negativity to the team that it could end up hurting the team in the long run.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Thursday November 11

In Thursday's paper, there were three articles that really caught my attention.  The first one involved the second state banning the caffeinated alcohol drink Four Loko.  Michigan had already banned the beverage and now Washington is doing the same.  I think those will not be the last states to ban the drink as many people are seeing the effects that it is having on college students across the country. Many students are ending up in emergency rooms after consuming it and could have possibly led to severe alcohol poisoning which could result in death.  Along with states, many universities are banning the drink; but I don't really see how banning the drink at universities will work.  Universities can't stop underage drinking, so I don't really see how they're going to stop Four Loko. 

In the Sports Section, there was an article concerning George Steinbrenner's possible Hall of Fame induction after his recent death.  My people question whether he should be induction because of negative things he has done in addition to his achievements as Yankees owner. When other people were turned down for the Hall of Fame, how could Steinbrenner be considered?  Many people  may believe that the good outweighs the bad but that doesn't mean that these things still happened.  I fully agree with the writer when he says that Joe Torre should be considered over Steinbrenner.  I truly think that Torre had a far larger impact on the team over the years than Steinbrenner.  Steinbrenner had the money and had his people find the players.

Finally, there was an article about how Obama has changed the withdrawal of troops from July 2011 to at least 2014.  I think that this is a smart decision and maybe should leave them there a little longer.  Especially with the recent terror threats concerning packages on airplanes, there is still a major threat to the American people and that a strong pressure must still be placed on these countries.  If we take our troops out, we are just giving them more encouragement to attack the US.  By remaining a strong force in the Middle East, the US is showing these countries that we do not intend to back down anytime.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Four people, including the suspect, were shot and killed after a man fired six shots from a building top and  before hijacking a train Sunday afternoon in New York City.  Another man also died from a heart attack stemming from the hijacking.

Pierre Jeantot, suspected of being part of a heroin scheme from France to New York City, fired shots on top of an apartment building at 1767 W. 57th Ave which killed pedestrian Betty B Badluck, 63, of the Bronx.



According to witness reports, Police Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle climbed to where the shooter was, only to find the suspect had fled the scene.  Doyle found six shells and a rifle where the suspect had once been though.

Doyle chased Jeantot to the nearest train stop where Jeantot boarded a train on the opposite side of the tracks from Doyle.

Once on the train, cop Roland Evans noticed something odd and began to follow Jeantot.  Jeantot turned around and fatally shot Evans and the train erupted into chaos.

Meanwhile, Doyle, chasing the train from a car below, raced through the streets of New York City to keep up with the train.

Jeantot's next move was to approach the conductor to keep the train from stopping at the next stop, 25th Avenue, so Doyle would not be able to catch him.

Conductor Horatio Hornblower was also shot as passengers approached the conductor's cabin.  Jeantot then turned around to find trainman Peter Howe suffering a heart attack at the controls.

Unable to stop the train, it collided with a stopped train forcing Jeantot to flee the train.

Jeantot was met at the bottom of the stairs where Doyle fatally shot Jeantot in the back.

Doyle and his partner Buddy "Cloudy" Russo had been investigating a French drug kingpin whom Jeantot, a suspected assassin, worked for.

New York City commissioner Ruth L. Ess commended Doyle for his brave and said, "we will continue a vigorous and thorough investigation into what appears to be a major smuggling operation."

Friday, November 5, 2010

In Friday's paper, there were a couple of interesting articles on the front page.  The first article that caught my attention was about how a lot of college courses are being streamed online instead of the traditional get up and go to class.  I think this new idea is an awful idea. As much as I would love to watch my lectures from my dorm room, it takes away from the college experience.  A lot of the people I have become friends with have been from class. If you take class online, you never meet any of your classmates. I also feel that not a lot of students would concentrate as much with classes online.  I mean, not a lot of them concentrate now, but this would make it worse.  It makes sense for non-traditional students but for traditional undergraduates, I think they should stick to keeping class the normal way.

In the Sports Section, there was an article about how the Patriots are getting rid of star power and are getting back to the humble team who is used to winning Superbowls.  With the recent departure of Randy Moss, a great deal of people were skeptical as to whether these Patriots had what it takes to bring another Lombardi trophy home to New England. Despite having the best record in the NFL, the Patriots are still some-what under the radar and still have a great deal to prove, in their view. With these new young players, they are able to build another championship team and now have a veteran in Tom Brady.  Back when they won the championships, they were led by veteran linebackers.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Thursday November 4

In Thursday's paper, the main story focused on the rift between the Republicans and President Obama.   With this recent election, a great deal of Republicans have been upset with their lack of change that the president had promised.  Obama spoke out on the issue and takes full responsibility for it.

In the Sports Section, there was an article about the recently deceased surfer Andy Irons.  His death came as such a shock to the extreme sports world and fans. He was only 32 years old and died from dengue fever which is caused by mosquitoes.  It was such an unusual cause of death and was so sudden, that it took his friends and family by surprise. 

Another article in the Sports Section was about how the Yankees are looking at cutting down Jeter's playing time next year. As a Sox fan, I can still respect the heart and soul that Jeter plays with.  Getting him to sit more is not going to be an easy or favorable task for them.  Most people look at Jeter as being the centerpiece of the organization. I still think he's on top of the game, it may not be as clear as before, but sitting him more is probably not the best idea.

Monday, November 1, 2010

School Board Proposing Saturday Detention

Portsmouth High School students might be in for a rude awakening as the school board looks to start giving Saturday detention as part of a new policy to enforce discipline.

At the Portsmouth School Board meeting last night, parents and students were enraged as this new policy was motioned.

Parent Peggy Bacon is a hardworking mother who is already struggling to get her son out of the door Monday through Friday.  "I just don't think it's going to make any difference," Bacon said, "and the parents are going to pay for it- in higher taxes as well as in ruined Saturdays."

This new policy would be costing the school $3,000 to pay for teachers to come in on these Saturdays.  Parents are not only worried about their children losing their weekend, but also having to pay for it. 

Some residents, like Bob Farley, were in favor of this new policy and accused parents of not teaching their kids any discipline.  "Parents can whine all they want about this," Farley said, "but maybe it's time parents in America were make to take a little responsibility for their kids."

School Board member Tim Steele, who proposed the policy, said that this new policy would get rid of in-house suspensions so that students would not have to miss class time and school work.  He said that the major concern in the school is all of the students caught smoking in and out of the high school.

"I just want to keep students from smoking in the high school bathroom," Steele said, "there are other problems but smoking is by far the biggest one."

Along with parents, 5 Portsmouth High School students also attended the meeting. 

Senior Lisa Gallagher, who has never had a detention in her life, does not think that the policy is necessary.  "I think it's just being done to make life easier for the faculty, so they don't have to deal with detentions during the week," Gallagher said.

The board voted 5-3 with one member deciding to have the issue brought up at the next meeting and for Steele to return with a clearer plan for the policy.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday October 31

In Sunday's paper, there seemed to be a very scary theme, but not the Halloween kind of scary.  Most of the articles in Sunday's paper were about the recent developments in a terror threat and the ways that terrorists have been plotting and coming closer to succeeding.  Terrorists have been putting an explosive known as Pentaerythritol tetranitrate, or PETN, into printer cartridges and shipping them on planes.  Luckily, the government has caught onto it on two America-bound flights.It is very scary to see that something so simple as a printer cartridge and how no one would think to look there. Another attack is imminent, the problem is stopping it before it happens.  There have also been incidents of hiding PETN inside bombers underwear and cadavers.

Thursday October 28th

In Thursday's paper, the article that caught my attention was the one about how financial aid is going up as the price of college is increasing.  I still don't understand where they're getting this information from.  I've noticed that over the past 3 years, that the financial aid has been decreasing.  Yes, the amount of money of Pell Grants is increasing, but there is also an increase of the number of people attending college.  So really, students aren't receiving more aid and some are even losing some to the increase of students.  I like how the article failed to mention that. As an out-of-state student, who is paying a large sum of money to attend college, I feel as though financial aid should be increasing for individual students and it is frustrating to see positive press for this issue. They have also failed to acknowledge the fact that student debt is also increasing due to owed loans.

On the front page, there was an article about Obama supporters leaning Republican.  This title was not surprising as many people are skeptical with the way the President has been handling situations.  The thing in the article that was surprising was the percentages the poll gave.  It said that 60% of the people are optimistic about the next two years and another 70% said that they thought the economic slump was temporary.  I have not heard one person agree with this.  I would really like to know who they're polling.

Wednesday October 27th

In Wednesday's paper, a great deal of the focus was on the new controversial drink, Four Loko.  Across the country, especially on college campuses, the drink is quickly becoming a party favorite among the younger crowd.  The problem with the drink is that it is an energy drink worth a pot of coffee and the alcohol of about 6-8 beers all in one can.  With this combination, it is more difficult for people to feel the tiring effects of the drink which makes them drink more of it.  Before long, a great deal of people develop alcohol poisoning.  The problem with making this drink such a big deal is that more people want to try this drink now.  Before this drink being all over the news, not many people had heard of it.  Now with all of the press, more people are curious about it. I also heard that the drink is banned in New Hampshire but that doesn't stop people from drinking it.

In the sports section, I greatly enjoyed the article about the Celtics beating the Miami Heat.  People were making such a big deal out of the "big three".  That doesn't matter when they're playing the Celtics though.  I really enjoyed the quotes from Heat players who are trying to make every excuse in the book.“When you have so many options, it’s something I’m not accustomed to, having that many threats on the court at the same time,” Lebron James said. 

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sunday October 24

In Sunday's paper, in the International section, there was an article about Chinese rock fans at a four day music festival put on by the Communist party.  In the opening paragraph, it made it sound exactly like rock fans in the US.  They said that the people spoke out against the country's leaders, were tattooed college students, and sold cannabis themed merchandise.  How is this different from any other country? Also, the festival is run by the Communist Party, which I find to be strange.

Saturday October 23

In Saturday's paper, the first article that I found interesting was the one about the new highway in Colorado that overlooks the Hoover Dam.  In the picture, the view looks incredible even though I'm afraid of heights.  It is said to be in the top seven of the highest bridges in the world.  I just think that this type of engineering is incredible.

There was also an article about how an inmate's death in Arizona might be put off because his lawyers are uncertain as to where the drugs used to execute came from.  They do not believe that they coincide with Food and Drug Administration and if they're safe.  What I don't understand is, these drugs are used to execute him, does it matter if they're unsafe? I mean, either way he is going to be executed. Is there a difference?

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Monday October 18th

There were a great deal of interesting sports stories in Monday's paper.  One headline read "A Finish Line With a Real Height: 8,000 Feet."  Right away this title grabbed my attention. While reading this story, I thought to myself how crazy these people must be to put themselves through a steep marathon up a mountain.  Not only are these people running up 8,000 feet, but they are losing oxygen with each new height.  That just sounds extremely dangerous to me.

The second headline that caught my attention was the one about the Rutger's football player becoming paralyzed after collision on field.  Players know the danger going into the sport, but it is still sad to see players who play with their hearts on the field have their dreams crushed. 

Finally, of course the article about Brady and Branch caught my attention.  My favorite part of this article was a quote from Belichick:“He got open and caught some balls. Let’s not make it too complicated.” I just love his dry, straight-to-the-point way of handling questions.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Saturday October 16

On the front page of Saturday's paper, there was article about Marijuana and California.  The US government thinks that even if Prop 19 wins the vote in the election, they will be able to overturn it.  The US government should learn from California. If the drug is legalized, there will be millions of more dollars brought into the economy and the debt of the country might begin to decrease.

Also on the front page was an article about the rum industry. The problems stem from the location of the rum and where the money is going; and in the end, it could interfere with American consumption of the product. The result might be raising the taxes on rum, which won't be favorable.

Friday October 15

In the Business Section, there was an article about Jon Stewart's upcoming rally. It is not known yet what the rally is for but the event is getting a lot of media attention.  It is going to be held in Washington DC so that might hint that it might be toward the political spectrum. 

In the Sports Section, there was an article about the NBA cracking down on the foul calls. In a recent Celtics' game, 4 technicals were called in the span of 16 seconds. The whole idea is absolutely ridiculous; just let the players play. The game is already interrupted enough by the whistles of the officials; now they want to increase it even more.  As the season beings, the NBA and fans will see just how much these new rules will take a toll on the game.

Thursday October 14

The big story in Thursday's paper was the rescue of 33 Chilean miners. It was nice to see a joyous and happy front of the Times.  Most of the time, these stories don't end up with a happy ending, but for Chile, families and friends were able to celebrate the return of their loved ones. After two months in the mine, the miners were finally freed after prediction that they would not survive.  It was very touching to read about some of the miners and their lives prior to the collapse.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thursday October 7

In today's paper, the first headline that jumped out at me was, "Bear Hunt Training, Minus the Bear".   As I read the story, I became disgusted that something like this is allowed. Hunters are putting bears in cages and letting dogs go after them.  Sometimes, the bears are declawed and fangless. This is definitely cruelty to animals and would like to see something done about it. 


In the Sports Section, there was great discussion about Halladay's no-hitter in the playoffs and Randy Moss's departure from New England. First, Halladay pitched an extremely rare no-hitter in the playoffs against the Reds.  This was a perfect way for the Phillies to start off their World Series hunt as they are fired up about their tremendous start in Game 1. Now it's time to focus on Game 2.  Finally, Randy Moss was released from the place that he has grown to hate.  Yesterday, the Patriots sent the wide receiver back to Minnesota.  Unhappy with his contract and role on the Patriot offense, Moss wanted out before the season even started. Now he has the chance to play with Brett Favre and try to help the Vikings get to a Superbowl. It's bittersweet for New England.  Moss was a loved player, but unhappy players never last in New England. Let's just hope Welker can stay healthy for the rest of the season.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Monday October 4

On the front page of the paper, there was an article, "Taking Loaded Gun Into Bar? In 4 States, It's Already Legal".  Of course in the south there would be laws allowing people to bring guns into bars.  I find this whole idea to be completely insane.  Alcohol and guns would be the worst combination ever.  People already get into enough fights at bars and now they want to allow people to have guns when these fights break out. People can't even smoke in bars in Rhode Island, nevermind bring a loaded gun in. 

In the International Section, there was an article about Two Israeli Soldiers using a nine year old Palestinian boy as a shield.  To use such a young child to go through bags that they think might have explosives in it, is completely atrocious. The article said the soldiers received prison sentences but do not say how long.

Local Boy a Hero After Saving Man From Train Tracks

Early yesterday morning, Old Orchard Beach local, James Laboke saved a man from the train tracks after the man passed out inside his car stuck on the tracks.

Police arrived to the scene just after 6 a.m. and found 80-year-old Francois Truffant, from Quebec City, Canada, unconscious in his car.  First officer on the scene, Captain Janet Paradiso, rammed Truffant's car off the tracks 30 seconds before the train approached.

Laboke, 17 years old, had been taking his usual 5 a.m. 4 mile walk to Eezy Breezy, where he works as a waiter, when he noticed the car on the tracks. After banging on the man's windows to try to wake him up, Laboke ran to the local police station, 100 yards away, to get help.

"I never though about it" Laboke said, "I just knew I couldn't let that man get crushed by a train".

After the station put out the call on the police radio, Paradiso immediately responded.  As she arrived to the scene, she heard the train's whistle and the only thing she could do was ram Truffant's car out of the way.

"I knew there was no time," Paradiso said, "I had to do something".

Truffant, who had been coming to Old Orchard Beach, Maine since he was a child, was taken to the Southern Maine Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition.  "I don't remember a thing" Truffant said in the hospital.  Insulin shock was said to have been the cause of Truffant's unconsciousness, as the man has diabetes.

Laboke continued his day as he normally would and arrived to work on time.  Owner and boss, Charles Champaigne, learned of the incident later in the day when a reporter called.

"It doesn't surprise me at all," Champaigne said, "that young man is one of my most responsible employees. He's just a great kid".
  

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Thursday September 30

Thursday's paper had a couple articles about suicides.  It seems that this has been a large issue recently across the country.  In the part week, six boys committed suicide because of being bullied because they were gay.  One of the articles was about one of these boys, Tyler Clementi. After being videotaped engaging in some questionable behavior, Clementi, a Rutgers student, jumped off the George Washington Bridge. I don't understand how the issue of suicide has broken out so greatly across the country recently. In the second story, four suicides occurred at Fort Hood in Texas.  I had actually read about this story in the Providence Journal because the couple that was talked about was from Rhode Island. Fort Hood experiences a great deal of mental breakdowns and suicides.  I feel as though more should be done to help these soldiers and ensure that this number of suicides decline.

Wednesday September 29

In this edition, there were two stories about the recession and about how it is affecting the way people live and the industries that are seeing declines.  In the first article, it talks about how many people are postponing getting married because they cannot afford a wedding. I found the article very sad and many people either have lost their jobs or have a fear of losing them.

In the Sports section, there's an article about baseball attendance that also discusses the recession.  Even teams in the hunt for the postseason are still seeing a number of empty seats in the stands. It doesn't help that ticket prices and prices of food is through the roof and it is not easy to take a family out to the ball game anymore.  Many people would rather watch in the comfort of their own homes for free instead of seeing it live.

Monday September 27

I found the article about liquor consumption on trains to be very informative.  It makes sense that beer is the top seller among train passengers. It was surprising to see how much hard liquor was consumed though.  Naturally vodka was the top seller in that category but it was interesting to see the vast differences in percentages.  It was also intriguing to see that 1 in 3 drinks sold was a hard liquor beverage.

In the Business Section, there was an article about how Netflix is facing new competitors.  It's interesting because Netflix was part of the cause of the elimination of video stores.  In my town, all of the video stores closed in recent years because of this new video-renting system.  Now for Netflix, business is decreasing after many other companies are starting to use the internet to distribute movies.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Saturday September 25

In Saturday's edition, I noticed on the front page an article titled, "Told To Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries".  It was a very hooking title and I wanted to read more.  There was a quote in the article saying that it was easy to grab an apple and throw it in your purse, but a piece of kale in your purse would be ridiculous.That would be my exact reaction.  I don't eat as many vegetables as I should but I am always grabbing fruit on the go.  I try to have a piece of fruit with at least two of my meals a day and did not think it was a big deal to skip the vegetables.

In the sports section, I noticed the article, "N.B.A. Aims to Limit Whining by Players".  I watch a great deal of basketball and I always think about how much the players whine to referees.  In the next season, referees will become stricter and more technicals will be handed out.  Kobe Bryant will definitely be seeing a great deal more technicals as the season goes on with his constant badgering of the referees.  Another player that will need to watch himself is Kevin Garnett. This new rule may greatly effect the game but might also take away from the intensity that the players perform at.

Wednesday Septemeber 22

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" decision was decided on Tuesday and the vote was to block the repeal of the policy.  The Senate was short by 4 votes to receive the 60 votes that it needed.  Many are afraid that if the policy is repealed, then moral in the military will be changed.  Especially in this time, this is a very important issue because of the troops that are overseas.  I believe that it is a policy that should be looked into more.

The second article, "2010 is Deadliest Year for NATO in Afghan War", talked about how in 2010, there were 530 causalities.  This comes right after a helicopter crash in Zabul which ended in 9 fatalities.  It was also reported that violence has increased 69 percent in the past 3 months. As a member of a military family, I have had family members in and out of Afghanistan for the past 6 years, and it is astonishing to see numbers like this every month.

Tuesday September 21

The first article that jumped out at me was "Value of College Degree Growing, Study Says".  As a college student looking to graduate in two years with a lifetime of loans to payback, it was interesting and comforting to read about the low unemployment rate for people with college degrees compared to that of people with only high school diplomas.  Not only did they have low unemployment rates, but college graduates also earn 79 percent more than high school graduates. 

The second article that really interested me was the one about Lady Gaga speaking in Portland, Maine in response to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".  Many people, including Gaga, were trying to get "Don't Act Don't Tell" repealed for being unconstitutional.  I find the issue very interesting and believe that people should be allowed to serve their country no matter what their sexual orientation is. If people are dedicated enough to want to risk their lives in order to protect their country, I believe that they should be allowed to.  I would have attended the event if my class and work schedule had allowed me to.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Rye Beach Jellyfish

Wednesday, five children were taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital and a hundred more injured after jellyfish invaded Wallis Sands State Beach in Rye, N.H.  No serious injuries were reported and the beach was opened again today.

Just before 2 p.m. lifeguards spotted large jellyfish thought to be lion's mane jellyfish.  Nearly 50 children ran to the shore crying and complaining of stings on their legs.  Soon after, emergency crews from Stratham, Portsmouth, Greenland, New Hampton, Newington, and Rye were called to the scene.

Alysia Bennett, from Hampstead, looked over to find her three children running out of the water crying.  She said, "They were terrified".  

Ken Loughlin, manager of the park, said "It was as big as a turkey platter.  The thing was probably 50 pounds... I've never seen such a thing".  The 50 pound dead jellyfish was then extracted from the water with a pitchfork by the lifeguards.

Jellyfish are common to the New England area but it is rare to see 50 pound jellyfish.  Robert Royer, an aquarist at the Seacoast Science Center, said, "That's the largest we have around here.  I've never heard of them getting 50 pounds, though".  Lion's mane jellyfish have barbed tentacles up to 100 feet long and was able to still sting swimmers even though it was dead.

Victims complaining of bee-like stings were taken to the bathhouse and five others were taken to the hospital because of fear of severe allergic reactions.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Friday September 16th

Reading through Friday's paper, the only section that catches my attention is the Sports Section. This first article I go to is the one pertaining to Jeter and his acting abilities after "getting hit by a pitch" . I was surprised to find an article slightly against New York's "Golden Boy". I greatly appreciated the comparison of Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.  When I first heard about the cheating incident, I thought, "Are they sure it's Jeter and not A-Rod?". As a Sox fan, I have always respected Jeter for his hard work and leadership, but I have no respect for cheating.

The second article of interest was the one about head injuries in football. After the first week of football, it was reported that ten players suffered from head injuries. In this article, it talks about college players and how a head injury recently led to a player's death. It just sheds some light on an issue that needs to be addressed and how a new solution needs to be found.

Thursday September 15th.

As I read through Thursday's paper, a few headlines stick out. First, NASA and Obama want to start sending civilians to space. This is one of the most ridiculous ideas that I have ever heard. Yes, it could be a great way to make some money for the program, but it is also setting NASA up for a great deal of problems if something goes wrong. The second headline that caught my attention was the article explaining the link between crime and Yankees hats. As a devoted Sox fan, this article spiked my interest and made me laugh. Then they discussed how this might be linked to Jay-Z's boasting of wearing Yankee hats. I found the whole thing to be insane. Most New Yorkers wear the hat and use it as a way to honor their home. The last section that caught my attention was the Fashion Week spread. I especially enjoyed the article View From the Second Row . As an avid fan of both fashion and Project Runway, this article gave a deeper look into it.