Plato's Atlantis Review

In the blink of an eye one man's imagination upped the ante on all other collections for the Spring 2010 season. Alexander Mcqueen, one of the fashion industry’s golden children, more than out did himself through his Plato’s Atlantis Collection. For years the world has been accustomed to the beauty and imagination of Mcqueen through his work through his time at Givenchy and through his recent years at his own label Alexander McQueen. This year he took his talent to new height and delivered the most impressive and cohesive show of his career and of the season.

Plato Atlantis saw the return of Mcqueen’s most used tool, shock value. He started the show with a sexy and provocative introduction feature a nude women struggling and caressing her self under water. His stage then revealed itself as having movable cameras that were on rails so they could move and record the models as they walk down the aisle. Then collection itself was walked on the white stage.

This collection was very different than any other collection he has ever done. Usually during his couture line he makes clothes purely for artistic purposes, not necessarily to make something wearable. With this collection everything, if you stretch you imagination and don’t have a fear of heights, was completely wearable.

When just looking at the dresses in this collection your heart will stop for just a second. The dresses in the collection were a blend of powerful, sexy, animalistic, and futuristic designs and patterns. As random as this may seem McQueen infuses them effortlessly. The prints where loud and invoked a purely animal instinct. The solids were metallic beaded S&M inspired numbers. Both oozed sexiness and danger, which is what every girl wants right? What was true awe-inspiring was his use of structure and draping. These dresses were so sliming while adding excess fabric. He had bulging shoulder sleeves and wraps, he had plugging necklines, and he used structure to literally make objects float of the dresses create that futuristic look.

The most impressive and crazy amazing part of this collection was the out of this world shoe collection. He created three shoe designs, two of which were unnamed, and the other being the crowing jewel of shoe world: the 12” inch Armadillo heel. This show is the most beautiful show that I have ever laid eyes on. Towering in at 12” inches and ranging from pastels, metallics, and animal prints these shoes throw practicality out the window and embrace the extreme, unrealistic glamour that on a McQueen original can evoke. These shoes have taken on a life of their own and sent the fashion world aflame with love.

Since their presentation at Plato’s Atlantis celebrities such as Kelis, Victoria Beckham, and Lady Gaga (whose entire video for “Bad Romance” was almost completely outfitted in this collection) has worn and spoken out for their complete and utter obsession with these shoes and the collection as a whole.

By far this collection is the most beautiful and thought provoking collection of clothing I have seen in quite awhile, and unfortunately will be the last seen by this designer as he pasted away shortly after its critical acclaim. Forever this collection will remain a testament to Alexander McQueen’s talent and greatness and will serve as a bar for every designer after him to jump over.

Broadcast Script

(ANCHOR)

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, FASHIONS MOST REVOLUTIONARY DESIGNER, DOESN’T DISAPPOINT WITH HIS SPRING 2010 PLATO’S ATLANTIS COLLECTION.

VERY RARELY IN THE WORLD OF FASHION DOES ONE DESIGNER HAVE THE ABILITY BE SO TALENTED; THEY ACUALLY GET TO BE ORGINAL.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN MAKES IT A HABBIT TO DO IT EVERY SEASON.

THIS SEASON WAS FILLED WITH GAVITY DEFYING FOOTWEAR, FANTASTIC PATTERNS, AND A LEVEL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT IS UNCOMPARABLE.

(ANCHOR/VO)

THIS SEASON HE INTRODUCED THE ARMADILLO HEELS. THESE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS HEELS MEASURE OUT TO BE 12-INCHES HIGH.

RANGING FROM ALLIGATOR PRINTS, METALIC BEADINGS, AND BEAUTIFUL PASTELS THESE SHOES ARE ONES THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY.

(ANCHOR/VO)

HIS USE OF COLOR AND INCREDIBLE PATTERNS MADE THIS COLLECTION EYE TURNING.

MCQUEEN USED ANIMALISTIC AND FUTURISTIC PRINTS TO AMAZE THE EYE AND GIVE THE COLLECTION A FEEL OF DANGER WITH AN AIR OF SEXY.

(ANCHOR/VO)

ABOVE ALL THE LEVEL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP WAS MIND BLOWING.

MCQUEEN’S USE OF DRAPPING CREATES SLIMMING AND DRAMATIC BODY SHAPES.

HE USES REMARKABLE STRUCTURES THAT CREATE CLOTHING THAT FLOAT AND EXPLODE OFF THE MODELS.

THE DESIGNS SEEMS TO DISREGARD GRAVITY AND TAKE ON SHAPES THAT LEAVE NORMARL BEHIND AND LET THE IMAGINATION SOAR.

(ANCHOR)

WITH THE 2010 PLUTO’S ATLANTIS COLLECTION, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR INNOVATIVE.

IT WILL SURELY LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON THE ART AND FASION WORLD FOR YEARS TO COME.

My Personal Rating For the Show

Over all I would give this a collection a "I just died a little" rating. This collection was near flawless and left me literally breathless the first time I saw it.

Matt's Ratings

Alexander McQueen's Final Walk

Matt's Ratings!

(I Just Died A Little!) (Pretty Cute!) (Meh) (This was almost unlivable)

My Broadcast

Extra Credit

On Monday I attended the Magazine Clubs presentation on the San Francisco publishing company McSweeny's one time Newspaper project Panorama. The three editor's behind the project: Chris, Jesse and Brian decided they wanted to produce a Newspaper that was 350 pages long and deluxe as possible. They decided to do this project with no newspaper experience, which was not easy. They took inspiration from The Sunday Morning Post, Zaman and Excelsior. As Chris said, " We wanted to make a newspaper worth buying." They decided to do something very different. As Jesse said, " [We] let writers as much as they need to. Every article has it own page." With all their dense material they still managed to sell almost all 40,000 copies of the magazine. Since they are not newspaper writers I asked them what they saw as the future of newspapers and if they thought they were dying. Chris said, "Print is always dying. The Bar needs to be higher. It's and exciting moment. It's a vibrant and alive. That hasn't really changed." After seeing their presentation I thought it was really cool and successful. I think that they proved that the newspaper, especially an elaborate one, is still in style and still important. I think it proved that people are still interested in in depth and well rounded information they can hold on to. When asked if they'd do it again, Brian said, while slightly laughing, "We're not going to do it again."

Broadcast of Party With a Plan

THINKING OF DRINKING? GET READY TO PARTY WITH A PLAN.

DAVID EMMERT, SAN JOSE STATE COUNSELOR, HOSTS A WORKSHOP INSTRUCTING STUDENTS ON HOW TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

IT STARTS BY SHOWING STUDENTS HOW TO FIND THEIR BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT ONLINE SO THEY ARE PREPARED TO DRINK IN ANY SITUATION.

THE PRESENTATION TAKES A SERIOUS TURN WHEN HE DESCRIBES THE RATE OF SEXUAL ASSULT FOR WOMEN.

"90 PERCENT OF ON CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE ALCOHOL RELATED, " EMMERT SAYS. "NINE PEOPLE REPORTED SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS, EIGHT OF WHICH WERE ALCOHOL RELATED. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST UNREPORTED CRIMES."

EMMERT CONCLUDED HIS PRESENTATION BY LECTURING ON SIGNS OF ALCOHOL POISONING AND SOME PROTECTIVE STRATEGIES WHILE DRINKING.

HE GAVE THE ABCDE'S OF DRINKING: AWAKE, BREATHING, COLD AND CLAMMY, DO NOT LEAVE ALONE AND EMERGENCY, THAT HELP SOMEONE KNOW SOME SIGNS OF ALCOHOL POISING AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

AFTER GOING TO THIS LECTURE YOU'LL KNOW HOW TO PARTY WITH A PLAN.

Party with a Plan REVISE

Stuck drunk without a plan? Never fear, Party with a Plan is here!

Party with a Plan, a workshop, that provides information about drinking alcohol: the positives, the negatives the potential consequences legally and physically. These workshops don't tell the students not to drink; instead if you drink, drink with a plan.

"Student well-being and safety is my goal,"says instructor David Emmert of the Psychology Department, who leads the workshop. "You want to drink...I want it to be a good experience."

In this workshop the instructor starts by asking about the good and bad parts of drinking.

"Drinking is social," says student Myloe Esquirel. "Sometimes people do it to unwind or to celebrate."

After this activity the instructor linked the class to a game the helps one figure out your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) in various situations. It helped explain the effects that different quantities of alcohol have on different people in regards to their weight, gender and other outside influences on drinking. The website can be accessed here. From here he moved on to what seemed to be the crux of the presentation: sexual assault.

“90 percent of on campus sexual assaults are alcohol related," Emmert says. "Nine people reported sexual assault on campus, eight of which were alcohol related. It is one of the most unreported crimes.”

Sexual assault is a huge problem on all college campuses. According to the American Association of University Women, 20-25 percent of women are sexually abused in college and of that 95 percent don’t report their attacks. To read more on the issue you can read it here.

Emmert concluded his presentation by lecturing on signs of alcohol poisoning and some protective strategies while drinking. He gave the ABCDE’s of drinking (awake, breathing, cold and clammy, do not leave alone and emergency) that help someone know some of the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do about it.

Some protective strategies included counting and measuring ones alcohol consumption, pacing and spacing beforehand, designated drivers, avoid drinking games, and many more. To find out more on the topic go to one of David’s Party with a Plan workshops.

Horse spotted running on Highway 17 found safe and sound

TODAY THE ESCAPED 22-YEAR-OLD ARABIAN HORSE, STAR, WAS RETURNED TO 10-YEAR-OLD ATHENA MUZUMDAR AT HER MONTEVINA ROAD CORRAL.

STAR WAS FOUND TWO WEEKS AGO AT HOME ON KENT WAY AFTER GALLOPING AMONG COMMUTERS ON HIGHWAY 17. ONCE FOUND, STAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO A SAN MARTIN ANIMAL SHELTER.

THE HUMAN SOCIETY OFFICIALS WERE RELUCTANT TO RELEASE STAR. THEY THOUGH HE MAY HAVE BEEN MISTREATED, BUT THAT WAS QUICKLY CLEARED UP ONCE HIS HEALTH PROBLEMS WERE EXPLAINED.

THE CULPRIT BEHIND STAR'S ADVENTURE, ACCORDING TO SUZANNE CRISTALLO, CORRAL OWNER IN SOUTH LOS GATOS, WAS A PONY NAMED OREO

CRISTALLO SAYS "HE KNOWS HOW TO UNDO ALL THE GATES UNLESS YOU CHAIN THEM."

THE ATHENA IS HAPPY THAT STAR IS SAFE AND BACK AT HOME.

2 struck, killed by train in Richmond

AUTHORITIES ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE DEATHS OF TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE STRUCK AND KILLED ON WEDNESDAY BY AN AMTRAC TRAIN IN RICHMOND.

AMTRAC SPOKESPERSON VERNAE´ SAYS THE TWO WERE HIT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BOULEVARD AND OHIO AVENUE AT ONE-FOURTY P-M. THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD WERE ESCORTED TO THE STATION AND BOARDED ANOTHER TRAIN.

THE VICTIMS HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEIR DEATH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

BROADCAST ERRORS

NORTHQUEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT IS CUTTING ITS DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40 PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELERS. (4)

FRANK DEWITT, C-E-O OF NORTHQUEST AIRLINES SAID--QUOTE--"WE LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR CUSTOMERS." (3)

DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES. WITH THE DISCOUNTED, NON-REFUNDABLE FARES, A PASSENGER COULD TRAVEL ROUND-TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR AS LITTLE AS 349- DOLLARS. (3)

TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY JULY FIRST FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 20 AND JANUARY FIFTH IN THE CONTINENTAL U-S. (3)

Topical Blog Post

Today's world is becoming a little overwhelming and exhausting the more I try to catch up with the latest technology.

Perhaps something that is innate for my generation has skipped me, but I constantly find myself baffled and frustrated at how rapidly the technology around me changes. It is so insane how things stay current for a year, at best, before they seem so outdated. There always seems to be new devices or upgrades for things once I finally understand them. I always feel behind the pack.

This utter distaste for technology really came into full force with the worlds newest innovation, the iPad. Everywhere I look I see ads for the iPad and everywhere I am I hear about the iPad. The iPad is gearing up to take over the world. It is incredibly interactive, it is internet ready, can read books, be an iPod, can make Skype phone calls and can do so many more things that I couldn't even begin to imagine. It seems as though it is gunning for the laptops current role as portable computer and is trying to take down the purpose of the Kindle before I could even decide if I wanted one, or actually understand all of what it does.

As amazing as it all sounds, the iPad just seems like another unnecessary thing I can't afford and don't have the time to utilize, or understand. I think technology, at least in the consumer sense, should slow down and let me try to catch up.

Broadcast Style

(Anchor on Cam)

An electrical power surge paused Metro-North Commuter Railroad train service in Matthattan Monday afternoon, leaving 47,000 commuters with out transportation.

(Anchor/VO)

Power was lost due to a squirrel scampering around the on the power lines causing an electrical surge, Metro-North spokeswoman Donna Evan says. This weakened an overhead bracket causing a wire to dangle down and get entrapped in a train passing underneath that ended up tearing down all the lines.

The commuters waited for hours, but trains never came. Service was not restore until Tuesday morning.

Copy Edit the World Missing Points

The Correction here would be e-mail, not email.

The correction here would be 20 percent.

The correction here would be 63 percent.

The Correction here would be 25 percent.

The correction here would be $4.59.

Focus Story Structure

Even with the risks, Pete Stenhoff, 16, played high school football. Little did he know how high the costs could be.

During his senior year at Chula vista High School in Redmond, Calif., he rammed his head into the ball carrier's chest. Stenhoff cracked vertebrae in his spine and now is confined to a wheelchair. He is not bitter. "I knew the risks involved when I decided to play football," he says, and adds, "I wish I would have known just how bad it could be." At the time of the accident, Stenhoff weighed 210 pounds; now he weighs 172 pounds.

Unfortunately, there are 20,000 injuries in high school football each year -- 12 percent of them permanently disabling the victims. Thirteen youths died last year and thirty-five percent of the injuries are to the neck or head. Most critics blame the helmet. Pete didn't graduate with his class is and trying to get his diploma by taking correspondence courses.

Finding Featured Leads

Anecdotal lead:

At a long-ago birthday party, my cartoonist friend Peter gave me a framed piece of his artwork. As he handed it over, he said, "This is for you, so no matter what happens with him, it's yours."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/personal/04/16/dividing.stuff.after.breakup/index.html

Anecdotal Lead:

Either I had a really short attention span as a kid and never made it past the first verse of a song -- which is entirely possible -- or there are some obscure lyrics to the songs we all know and love.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/16/mf.second.verses.little.known/index.html

Pop Culture Column REVISE

In fear of ever being exposed for something that could ever put me in a negative light, or just completely humiliate me, I usually try to keep scandal to minimum in my life. Even though the amount of limelight I’m in working at Starbucks can be excruciating, it cannot even compare to the amount of media attention is being focused on the likes of Jesse James and Tiger Woods.

Both men, who are either famous in their own right, or are famous for being married to someone who is famous, made poor decisions with 22 women collectively. With this all brought to light, two questions arise. One, why would they think that what they were doing would never be brought to light and two, why do we care?

My answer to the first question is that when a man believes in something enough nothing can stop him, or so he thinks. I think these men truly believed that people thoroughly enjoyed having sex with them for reasons outside of their stature and really believed no one would ever find out because people always keep their mouth shut like they promise.

My answer to the second is much shorter. People are stupid! People get wrapped in the drama that revolves around unknown people’s lives because they are celebrities. For some reason it is so important for us to crucify them in order to make them seem more human, or for us to seem much smarter than them. We let it go as far as to allow major news outlets waste their space with celebrity trash as the prominent source of news. We need to let it go!

Magazine Blog Post

Magazine: Vman Magazine.

Target Audience: I would say that the target audience would be fashion minded or fashion student people, especially men, from ages 16-35 because of the clothes they are offering are more outrageous and extravagant than something that the average 35 and up would be interested.

I have been reading the magazine since its launch which was when I was 17 and I have always found it to be a starting point on what I wanted to be wearing.

Focus: The magazines focus is based around male fashion, containing elements of high and casual elements. The magazine takes on a different take than many other fashion magazines in the sense that it almost completely full of male fashion. It showcases classic, independent, and new designers so that the pieces are from different ranges of price and attainability.

Writing style and tone: There are a lot of different styles that are used in Vman. There is a lot of interviews that usually very coy. Most of the articles have a comical or personal take on issues regarding pop culture. When ever I read about something I usually catch myself cracking a smile.

Check it out @ http://www.vman.com

Ethical Decisions

Would you read them? Take them? Ask her

about them when she returns?

No I would not read them, take them, or ask her about them when she returns because if the roles were reversed I would find what the person was doing unacceptable. I think that it's wrong because it's stealing and I would not that to be the impression I want of myself or my company. I think that I would try to ask for more information on the topic or ask if she had anything more to add instead of just snooping.

Would you do it? Why or why not?

I don't think that I would be that invasive. I think I would first try and get into contact with some people that formally worked there, or patients that may have previously stayed there and left the facilities. I think if I were to get hired and told of something I saw to my editor it would violate the privacy that would be required of that job, which could lead me into trouble which I want to avoid.

May you use those quotes as if you

obtained them yourself, or must you

credit the other written source?

–What if you obtained the quotes from a

web site?

You have to credit the other source because it would be plagiarizing if you claim it as your own. The same thing goes for if the quote was from a website.

Libel

A sophomore at Springfield University claims a chemistry professor has sexually harassed her.

Karen Hart, 123 Hill Hall, says the professor, George O.T. Jungle, has touched her during tutoring sessions in his office and has invited her to his apartment several times. She said she declined his invitations.

This passage falls under the criteria thats the statements is defamatory to the professor. Because of this I would consider the passage to be able to be sued for libel. If I were to change this passage I would wait until there was further progress in the situation until they name dropped the professor.

I would drop out completely the elaboration of what he did or his name to avoid libel.

Jungle denied having an improper contact with the student and threatened this newspaper with a libel suit if it publish.

I think they also made a mistake in this passage because this accusation could be deemed offensive and they didn't really give the professor time to elaborate on to why he was innocent.

The whole passage could be deemed libel in the sense that all of the accusations that are being made are being printed, which is main criterion for something to be libel.

Party with a Plan

Stuck drunk without a plan, never fear Party with a Plan is here!

Party with a Plan is a workshop, here at SJSU that provides information about the positives, negatives, consequences, and general information regarding laws and body ramifications that comes with drinking alcohol. These workshops in no way imply that one should not drink at all, but instead if you drink, drink with a plan.

When asked about why he runs this workshop, instructor David Emmert of the Psychology Department says, " I know just being a college student you're in a high risk group. Student well-being and safety is my goal. You want to drink, I want it to be a good experience."

In this workshop the instructor starts by asking what is good and bad parts of drinking. In this exercise different aspects of drinking were presented.

Student Myloe Esquirel gave many examples. He says, "Drinking is social. Sometimes people do it to unwind or to celebrate."

After this activity the instructor linked the class to a game the helps one figure out your BAC in various situations. It helped explain the effects that different quantities of alcohol have on different people in regards to their weight, gender and other outside influences on drinking. The website can be accessed here. From here he moved on to what seemed to be the crux of the presentation: sexual assault.

Emmert says of sexual assault, “90% of on campus sexual assaults are alcohol related. 9 people reported sexual assault on campus, 8 of which were alcohol related. It is one of the most unreported crimes.”

This fact reflects on the large fact that sexual assault is a huge problem on all college campuses. According to the AAUW, 20-25% of women are sexually abused in college and of that 95% don’t report their attacks. To read more on the issue you can read it here.

Emmert concluded his presentation by lecturing on signs of alcohol poisoning and some protective strategies while drinking. He gave the ABCED’s of drinking (awake, breathing, cold and clammy, do not leave alone and emergency) that help someone know some of the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do about it.

Some protective strategies included counting and measuring you alcohol consumption, pacing and spacing beforehand, Designated drivers, avoid drinking games, and many more. To find out more on the topic go to one of David’s Party with a Plan workshops.

Profile: Aryn Wallace

When Aryn Wallace saw her best friend’s water break a month before she was due she panicked.

Aryn was enjoying a normal night in with her best friend Tracy watching movies when her water broke. When the water broke they both were freaking out because this was Tracy’s first pregnancy and neither knew if this was normal. They immediately called the doctor who told them to bring her in immediately and that everything was probably fine. The weather outside was stormy and the roads were chaotic.

“When I saw Tracy’s water break it was scary and exciting,” Wallace said. “I didn’t know what to do and everything was more stressful because of the weather!”

It was this instance of not having the medical know how, which is one out of two instances, which would lead Aryn to quitting her managerial position to pursue a nursing career. The second being far more traumatic.

A little over a year ago, Aryn received a call from her mother to come home because there was an accident with her brother. She got home and found out the ambulance had just left with her brother. Her brother had just attempted suicide. Luckily, he had been drinking so his blood thinned out which ultimately saved his life.

“When I got home my mother was bawling, it was just so unexpected” Aryn recalls. “When I was visiting him in the hospital and watched the nurses helping him get better, I realized that I wanted to know how to help people get through difficult situations. I never wanted to feel unprepared again”

It through these two events Aryn quit her job at Starbucks were she was making $37, 000 dollars a year to take out a $37, 000 dollar student loan to go back to school.

At Starbucks she was incredibly successful having made it to assistant management in only 2 years. Through this job she was able to afford a new car, clothes that she wanted and trips she wanted to go on; the sky was the limit. She had been incredibly independent, working since age sixteen, and with this decision she would have to give all that up and go in the opposite direction: debt.

“Leaving my job was scary because I didn’t know if I could even do nursing school because my grades were never great in the other schools I attended,” Aryn said. “I never reapplied myself, but I knew that because I wanted to do it, I would do it well.”

It is now almost May and Aryn is almost a nursing school graduate. She has done exceedingly well in all of her classes and has even found time to come back to Starbucks as a barista.

As she reflects on the past events and the past year she says, “I am so thankful that all of those things happened in my life. I truly believe that nursing is my calling. I have never been happier.”

Reporting with Numbers

1.

67% from the state- The most

5% from tuition- The least

28% from fees, grants and gifts

A local college releases figures showing that its total budget is $120 million. Of that total, a little more than two-thirds of funding comes from the state, a little less than one-third comes from fees, grants and gifts and barley contributing to the total budget wass student tuition.

2.

Mean/Average: 22 months

Median: 1 year

The median figure is the most accurate description of prison terms because it will provide you with a good half way point. Peoples sentences vary significantly so the chances of there being extremes is to be expected. Due to those extremes, the mean will give you a distorted result and inaccurate findings.

3.

California sales tax- 8.25%

Californians would save $21.45 a year if they spent $5 per meal once a week. (.0825x5x52)

Californians would save $85.80 a year if they spent $20 per meal once a week. (.0825x20x20)

AP Style Exercise (S-Z)

1) When he heard the building plan for the new high school had been rejected, Bill pulled out his stationery to write a letter of protest. (2)
2) Ben really knows his Scriptures, but he knows little about the Talmud or the Shariah. (3)
3) Her home in upstate New York is surprisingly ultramodern and unique for its middle-class neighborhood. (4)
4) To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, troops of former soldiers will march down Main Street carrying U.S flags. (3)
5) Word-of-mouth has it that Ellen will wind up with the only “A” in the class. (2)
6) When Sara spotted the Louis L'Amour paperback, she asked whose book it was. She couldn't believe it was John's; after all, nobody reads Westerns anymore. She had no idea he was so weird. (4)

BONUS: The man was arrested on a charge of brandishing a twelve-gauge shotgun outside his home. (1),

Fact set 2

Firemen and birthday cake, what more could you ask for on your birthday?

TULSA, Olla.--The First United Methodist Church women's group held a birthday party of Mabel McCullough who is about to turn 95. They had a carrot cake for her birthday cake, on it there were 95 candles. With help, McCullough blew them all out and created a big cloud of smoke.

Eddi Carlin, one of the guests, said, "There wasn't an inch to spare. By the time we had them all lit, it looked like a torch." She goes onto say, "We had just sat down to eat when we saw them in the doorway." By "them" she is referring to the 24 firefighter party crashers.

The smoke from the blown-out candles set off a smoke alarm. As a result, five engines and two ladder companies arrived. Fire Chief Lonnie Lamb said, "In my 23 years on the job, I've seen a lot of things set off a fire alarm, but I don't think I've ever heard of one going off because of a birthday cake."

The firefighters didn't stick around to eat birthday cake, but they did have their pictures taken with McCullough.

News Story 5

A 10-wheel hauler overturned on Moeser Lane in El Cerrito today, causing mass power outages, a fire and leaving the driver in serious condition.

The runaway asphalt truck left a scene of chaos. The truck took out the power in El Cerrito, and some neighboring cities, including Berkeley and Richmond, but the true chaos was on Moeser Lane, El Cerrito. The truck left a path of destruction in its wake: a snapped power pole, five badly damaged vehicles and most unfortunately, a home on fire. El Cerrito police Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples, one of the first rescue workers to arrive on the scene, says he heard cries coming from the burning truck and house, and stated digging through the debris.

Sgt. Maples spotted the driver lodged between the wheels of the truck, which had flipped on its side. The diver's legs were mangled and he couldn't move. Maples was able to grab his hand and, with some help from Police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc, he was able to pull the driver to safety. Maples said, "We dragged him out in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames. I just wanted to get him out of there."

Another witness, Ruben Sharma, lives across the street from the single-story home that was destroyed. He was just about to head back to work around 1:30 when the crash occurred. He said, "First, I thought it was a major earthquake. This is unbelievable." His front yard is littered with bricks, broken glass, car parts, splintered wood and palm fronds.

A Honda sedan was also hit by the truck and was so crumpled that the driver was trapped inside. Rescue workers sliced into it, peeling back the roof to free the trapped driver. A sport utility vehicle that apparently had a man and boy inside ended up stuck in some shrubbery beside the burning house.

The driver of the truck, whose name was not released, broke both his legs in the crash. He's listed in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

AP Style Exercise (M-R)

1) He hopes to make a billion dollars by the time he's 40. Already he figures his net worth is between $2 million and $3 million, depending on current stock prices. (3)
2) Ever since she joined the U.S. Navy on June 15, 2005, she has been a vocal proponent of naval practices and policies. (3)
3) It was a one-sided game, and he was a poor loser. After losing the play-offs when his ball went out of bounds, he made an off-color remark that could be heard in the stands. (4)
4) Hundreds of people attended Sunday's race to watch 75 top bicyclists pedal across the finish line. (4)
5) Every summer the Joneses and the Kinneys pore over travel brochures, planning their winter trip together. This year they're hoping to vacation in PANAMA CITY, Fla. (4)
6) The 5-year-old girl was born in Canton, OH, but she now lives in Fremont, Calif. (3)

1.http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3870922

On the website they refer to "daylight-saving time" as daylight savings in the headline of the article.

2. On the add it uses "am/pm" when it needs to be "a.m/p.m"

3. On the add is uses 49¢ when it should be written as 49 cents.

News Story 4

A gas line ruptured today in the South of Market area effectively shutting down a four-block area.

At a little bit before 12:30 p.m yesterday, a private construction crew was trying to repair sewer lines. In the process, they severed a two-inch underground gas pipe with a backhoe, says a PG&E worker.

The four-block area that was cordoned off, causing at least 100 people were forced to leave the area, including neighborhood residents, dozens of business owners and their customers. Carlann Lauria, manager of Crocker's Lockers, says, "Ask my customers. They were pretty irate." The employees kept busy by going outside the police perimeter to collect payment checks from their customers.

Another business manager, Samantha Feldman of Wa-Ha-Ka restaurant, say her employees and patrons were forced to leave. The restaurant's at the corner where the construction crew had been working. Feldman said that the restaurant lost about $500 worth of business in the shutdown.

The gas was turned back on at 5:09 p.m that night.

News Story 3

A fire engulfed a man's San Jose home at 3 p.m yesterday, the man is listed in grave condition.

Robert Kent, the man who was rescued, is in his 50's and retired says Rob Piper, San Jose fire Captain. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but there wasn't a smoke detector present. It happened in a single-story home on Annapolis Way. The fire started in the kitchen and spread to the attic with smoke engulfed the whole house.

Firefighters rescued the man from his burning house. They pulled him out of the kitchen while he was surrounded by flames. Piper said Kent has second and third-degree burns on 50 percent of his body. He was founded on the kitchen floor, unconscious. A nursing supervisor at Valley Medical Center in San Jose said that Kent was listed in grave condition.

Ap Style Exercise A-D 3

1) The last time she played soccer, she suffered a serious injury to her knee. Sometimes it's hard to understand why she wants to keep playing. (2)

2) He was indicted on a charge of assault, but his lawyer said the case against him is circumstantial and she is sure the inquiry will exonerate him. (2)

3) He knows it isn’t kosher, but green Jell-O is his favorite dessert. This admission has prompted his friends to question both his taste and his judgment. (3)

4) Now that he has DSL, he finds it much easier to go online to check his e-mail and download files. (3)

5) He stood behind a lectern, addressing his longtime colleagues at the Knights of Columbus. (3)

New Story 2

One person was killed and three others where injured today by a construction truck accident in a a San Mateo parking lot. At about 1:15 p.m the ruck barreled down a hill into a crowed grocery store parking lot, hitting a black sport-utility vehicles broadside. The impact dragged the SUV about 75 feet into the parking lot. Eight or nine other vehicles in the parking lot were also hit.

The parking lot was left in a mess of crushed vehicles and broken glass. None of the victims, or the truck driver, has yet been officially identified.

One victim, an occupant of one of the vehicles that was hit, was declared dead at the scene. A pedestrian was also hit and injured. One of the three injured people was taken to Stanford Hospital by helicopter. The other two were taken by ambulance.

According to San Mateo Police Captain Kevin Nguyen, the container truck "apparently had some type of mechanical failure” while it was coming down 43rd Avenue, a residential street that dead-ends in a Mollie Stone’s grocery store parking lot.

#2

A motorist drove off a 150-foot cliff at Highway 1 at Devil's Slide today at 4:10 a.m.

A 24-year old San Francisco motorist, who's name has not been released, was driving his Mazda sedan in dense for, heading north toward San Francisco, when he missed a turn and drove over the side of the cliff.

The Car landed on its wheels after which point, he used his cell phone to call 911. The road was closed for two hours in both directions. Rescue crews with the California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire had trouble location the man because of the fog. They finally reached him 35 minutes later by rappelling off the cliff.

They pulled the man up in a protective cage and then he was taken to San Francisco General Hospital for observation. His only visible injury was a bump on the head, according to CHP Sgt. Trent Ross. "He did what he was supposed to; he wore his seat belt," said Ross who added that if the driver hadn't been wearing his seat belt during the accident, "there is no doubt it would have been fatal."

New Story 1 Revised

Lead:

A 74-year-old woman plowed her car through front window of Joe's Food Mart and Video last evening and then tried to buy a six-pack of beer.

Lynn Rice from Norwalk, Los Angeles, drove her 1988 Cadillac through Joe's Food Mart and Video yesterday evening. The car plowed about halfway through the store. Luckily, no one was injured.

According to Joe Awada, after the crash, Rice got out of the car, walked to the cooler and pulled out a six pack of Budweiser. Awada said, "I don't know how she managed to walk." He added that a cashier refused to sell her the sixpack and instead called the police.

Lt. Jenny Han said Rice was taken to a hospital for an examination because she had a medical condition. Rice was also arrested for investigation of misdemeanor driving under the influence. She was released on $15, 000 bail, authorities said.

Top News 3

Unfortunately for Toyota there might be another recall on its way. The 2009 and 2010 Toyota Corrolla are now under intense observation due to 150 reports to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the cars are having steering issues. Specifically, the new issue at hand is that when these vehicles reach high speeds the driver reports difficulty steering. This could be due to the electric-assisted system, opposed to the electric motor used in other vehicles. The company isn't recalling at the moment because they feel like it could be a brake or tire issue, but said they would recall if it becomes necessary. The Corrolla is Toyota's second most selling car with 300,000 sold last year. If this recall goes into action up to 500,000 cars could be effected.

I had read about this recall while I was browsing the internet for current information on the recalls. This story is important because Toyota with every passing moment seems to be crumbling. This beacon of safety is no longer. The ending of this story is important to see because it will be a prime example of PR triumph or the complete devastation of an empire.

At this point the values that this story really encompasses are impact and prominence. The impact of this situation is huge. It is either effecting you, your neighbor, your family or coworker to a degree. The prominence issue of this one is astronomical. Toyota went from the top of the mountain all the way to the ground in a matter of weeks. This whole event has been devastating to their character.

Link:

http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/toyota-corolla-steering-problems-8363/

Got What It Takes To Be A Reporter?

1. T

2. T

3. T

4. T

5. T

6.T

7.T

8.T

9.F

10.F

11. T

12. T

13. T

14. F

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26 points

I think that this tells me that I have the organizational skills that it takes to be a good writer and reporter. Knowing this makes me feel that i'll be more successful in the field of PR because I'll be an observer and someone who can act in a situation making me well rounded for the field.

AP Style Exercise A-D 2

1) To insure the accuracy of the news story, Susan Jones checked with her source. For Jones, this is an everyday practice, not the exception. (4)

2) As the two boys argued over who should get the last piece of pizza, both seemed equally hungry. Clearly, they had forgotten their earlier decision to forgo having seconds. (2)

3) He suspected his neighbor was selling drugs, so he called the FBI. His neighbor, however, cried foul at the accusation. (2)

4) She grew up on the Great Plains, near Alliance, Neb., where the winters are long and harsh and the living is hand-to-mouth. (3)

5) Her car was sideswiped by a hit-and-run driver on Route 1A this morning. She wasn't really injured, but the impact sent the contents of her purse helter-skelter. (4)

Introduction

Introduction

My name is Matt and I'm a Public Relations Major here at State. I'm a Willow Glen local and spend a lot of time floating around downtown. I've never really blogged before, unless you count updating the world on what I'm thinking through the very elite and exclusive sites twitter and facebook. I really like reading about the news in any form. Whether it be from hard hitting news feeds from Perez Hilton or the left over New York Times at my work, I like knowing what's going on in the world.

Outside of attending school and working diligently to make you the perfect latte at Starbucks, I enjoy a myriad of things. I enjoy reading comic books, fashion magazines, and fiction when I have the time. I like to over dress for any occasion possible. I like to oversleep and eat too. Pretty much to sum me up I'm addicted to coffee, fashion, and reading.

Fog Index:

16+11 x .4=10.8

So I think that my Fog Index is telling me that my sentences are way too long. I had so many sentences that had over 22 words that it really makes my sentences wordy. It has taught me that I need to be more concise with my righting so that people don't loose interest due to short attention span. Pretty much I need to condense.

Tops New 2: REVISED

On Friday Toyota extends its recall to 2010 Tacoma trucks in North America. The automaker said "that the front shaft in a small production run of pickups may include a component that developed cracks during the manufacturing process. As the vehicles are used, the cracks could lead to 'the separation of the drive shaft at the joint portion.'" The inspection of the cars and the fixing will be done at no cost to the customer. Currently, there is a 8 million car recall globally for Toyota cars. Toyota will justify before U.S. congressional committees if required, but so far only U.S president of Toyota, Yoshimi Inaba, has been asked to justify.

I had heard about the previous recalls in my PR 99 class, but as I was looking up what updates have happened I came across this story. I think this story is important because this is a really crucial time for Toyota. Toyota has always been a name that has been synonymous with reliability and for the first time is really under fire. I think that it is important for people like myself, who are PR majors, to really examine what's going on here because obviously with how out of control it has gotten there is huge lack of personal accountability and PR savvy at Toyota.

I think the news values it really encompasses is impact, immediacy, and prominence. I think that the impact of this event is that many people are going to be left driving unsafe cars until all of the current cars that are problematic are fixed. The last people want to feel is unsafe in the form of transportation most people rely on. The immediacy of this situation is that with every passing day it seems that hole Toyota is in growing deeper. People are hanging on to their seat with each new recall announcement. Lastly, Toyota has been a staple of reliability and safety for generations and now that is up in smoke. The name of the company is temporarily, if not permanently tarnished.