Journalism

I found out journalism is a lot harder than I thought. Between the never ending deadlines, impeccable grammar, and strict writing formats even the simplest story becomes a handful. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into and it's been a struggle. However, It was rewarding because I feel that I did learn some things along the way. It's always good to improve your writing skills. Those type of skills go a long way and aren't just limited to journalism. I definitely have a lot more respect for the field.

Car Bomb

It took just over 53 hours to catch the terrorist who attempted to set off a car bomb in Time Square. The bomb failed to go off, and Faisal Shahzad fled the scene unnoticed. FBI later caught Shahzad on a plane that was bound to the Middle East.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/nyregion/05tictoc.html?hp

Story 9

Who knew that Girl Scout leaders, and craft workshops could be the wake-up call to becoming an instructor? MaryAnn David, a business instructor at Cambridge’s Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) sure didn’t know. “I started teaching art workshops and trained adult Girl Scout leaders. Then it occurred to me that I wanted to be a teacher. I really enjoyed sharing my skills,” said David.

David has since then spent over 30 years as a teacher, and another 15 years as a college instructor. Today one can find her teaching business classes at ARCC. However, she won’t be there for all that much longer. “Currently I’m at retirement age; I plan to continue at this college as an instructor for perhaps a few more years but after that it’s time to pack my bags,” explained David.

Over the course of 45 years of teaching, David has learned a lot about herself she said. “I didn’t expect so much fun and enjoyment in doing what I now love to do! I didn’t ever think I could be teaching college level courses. It’s very exciting!” David stated.

“I have learned that the more I teach, the more I realize I don’t know. I learn so much from my students every day. It’s great to learn from them.” said David, “I am still in awe of what I do!”

During her time as an ARCC instructor, David said she had one student teach her an important lesson. There is nothing like a good nap. “I taught a keyboarding class to a very elderly couple (husband & wife) who tried their very best to manage the keyboard. Once though the elderly man fell asleep at the computer, and just leaned on the keys resulting in numerous pages of the same letter of the alphabet going on and on. I just let him sleep, as did his wife,” explained David.

However, David does the majority of the teaching in her classes. There she spends her time reaching out to students, and teaching them about computers and their software. But David said didn’t always teach about computers.

“I’ve always been a good typist and have had years of experience as a secretary. When everything changed to computers, I liked the idea of composing letters and messages via the keyboard and making corrections as you go. We used to use correction tape and white-out and before that, typing erasers and carbon paper. Can you even imagine?” stated David.

But that wasn’t the only thing that excited David she said. “I love the ability to think and speed-write as you go, and then make the corrections right in front of you before printing. Also, because I am not very good at math, I so enjoy Excel because it can do my math for me!” David explained.

Although David can agree that computers and technology often benefit people, there are some down sides she points out. “With today’s technology and the demand for accelerated, on-line classes, I feel the ‘personal touch’ has been lost. I believe personal communication is critical, and that seems to be gravitating more and more toward ‘texting’… where is the interpersonal communication and reading of body language to interpret the message as intended?” commented David.

Also David mentioned that technology doesn’t come without its faults. “The college network has a way of ‘acting up’ and it gets frustrating when the computer saves a student’s files to a place where they then can’t find them again,” explained David. “Sometimes though the students just need to pay a little bit more attention to where they save things,”

Although technology can be frustrating, it doesn’t have to be scary said David. “I wish for my students to not be afraid of the computers and to try new things out,” she said. With her older generation students David understands that most are afraid and don’t like the change that technology brings. She can relate.

“At mid-life, I once went from a manual typewriter on the job to an electric, and that was miserable! Younger folks don’t seem to hesitate about jumping into new things and adapting; perhaps they don’t have the experience behind them to see what could go wrong,” David stated.

However, she explains that one shouldn’t be held back by technology but embrace it. “I am at retirement age and going strong; my mother-in-law is 88 with a computer and plays games and surfs the Internet all the time,” said David, “But, I understand that computers can intimidate both the old and young.”

For the next couple years MaryAnn David says she will remain at the ARCC campus. During that time she says her positive and cheery personality will be there to continue to teach students to not be intimidated by computers. She boosts, “I’m quite animated and lively in the classroom.”

Origami Pollen

Dr. Eleni Katifori, previously from Harvard and Rockefeller University, studied the folding of flower pollen. As pollen dries out, it folds like origami. Originally the goal of the research was to discover the principles by which the folding occurs in nature. However, the research could be used by engineers who design structures.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/science/27obpollen.html?ref=science

The Bookstore and your Wallet

According to a recent poll about the costs of textbooks at campus bookstores, the majority of respondents believe that the prices of books are way too high for the amount of use they get out of them. Jason Pieper, a student at Anoka-Ramsey College (ARCC) said, “I dread the start of every semester. The second I leave the bookstore after purchasing all my textbooks, I know that for the next few weeks the only food I’ll be able to afford is Ramen noodles.”

While everyone may not be forced to eat Ramen noodles after visiting the local campus bookstore, 27 out of the 31 or roughly 87% of respondents still believe that the costs of textbooks should be lower than what they are now. One of these respondents, student Jessica Williams added, “I think it is pretty ridiculous that I have to pay $225 for a single textbook when the class it’s for only costs about $400 to take.”

However, student Peter Lee doesn’t agree with Williams, saying that “Textbooks are quite valuable. If you’ve taken enough courses, you’ll understand just about everything you learn can be found in the book. So really you’re getting the same material for around half the price of the course. Most of the time there is stuff in the book that the class doesn’t cover, so that just adds to the value of the textbook.”

Benjamin Olson, one of the 31 ARCC students at the Cambridge campus polled, believes in just the opposite of what Lee said. Olson explained, “There’s been too many courses over the years that never once had me open the textbook I bought. All the information we needed was posted online or given out during class. What is the point of buying an expensive book if we’re never going to use it? It is a huge waste of money.”

Three out of the four respondents that thought the pricing of books was reasonable for their use all mentioned to some degree what Justin Lamb had to say. “I think the money invested in books gets outweighed by having the material you need to be successful in class. It is pretty hard to deny that books generally help improve your grade in class, as well as your understanding of the content. But also, they then provide a permanent source to turn to if you ever want to review the information you learned, that is assuming you don’t sell the books back,” Lamb explained.

However, in many situations students do sell back their books according to the poll. Of the 31 respondents, 21 of them sell back their semester’s worth of books to the bookstore. That is about 68% of the students polled. When asked why they sell their books back, all 21 respondents said they do it for the extra cash.

“When the end of the semester rolls around, I get excited. After selling back my books, I have enough cash to splurge a little. No more Ramen noodles for me, next stop McDonald’s Big Mac combo meal, super sized!” added Pieper.

Oops

The cat is out of the bag when it comes to Apple’s next iPhone. After an Apple engineer accidently left the iPhone prototype in a California bar, a person found it then peddled the phone off to a technology news site named Gizmodo for $5000. Since then the site has released footage of the new iPhone and its features. Late Monday night Gizmodo was contacted by Apple to have the device returned.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/technology/companies/20apple.html?src=me&ref=general

Cafeteria

Many students take night courses at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC), and often miss their opportunity to eat a decent meal because of limited cafeteria hours. According to a recent poll about whether the cafeteria should have extended hours to be able to service all students or not, many believe that the cafeteria shouldn’t be open longer and it is the student’s responsibility, not the schools to acquire a healthy meal. Student Justin Adams said, “There is a reason why the cafeteria has the hours it does. It’s impractical to keep the cafeteria open during hours when it’ll cost more money to run than make. Plus, that money [to keep it open] would most likely come straight from the student’s pockets. A lot of people don’t even use the cafeteria, so why would they want to pay for it?”

However, not everyone agreed with Adams, saying that it is unfair that not every student receives equal opportunities, even when it came down to food. Amanda Ross, another ARCC student explained, “Not everyone has the means, or the time to eat a healthy meal before coming to class. As a night student, it is frustrating to only have vending machines to turn to. Many night students are busy during the day so they are forced to take classes at night. It doesn’t seem fair that these students aren’t afforded the same opportunities as the rest,”

So although cafeteria hours are unlikely to change in the near future, there are still some solutions to this dilemma. Prepare a meal ahead of time that can be brought to school. Often there is time between classes or during breaks for students to get a chance to eat. Even just bringing an apple can help ease the hunger before going home. Another option is to visit the cafeteria early, and buy something to eat later. There are many other possible solutions like these out there, they just requiring a bit of planning ahead of time.

Farming Fish?

When it comes to fish farming, there are a lot of various ecological issues to take into account. Each species of fish has different requirements, and these are the things that lead to problems down the road. Farmed salmon are kept in pens that are permeable by the surrounding ocean. This allows for the transfer of pollution, diseases and other things to the wild species in the area. However, some fish like catfish have much lower requirements, and can easily be kept isolated from other fish. Therefore, that is why there are much more critics, such as the World Wildlife Fund, for farming salmon than catfish.

Cold Day Memory

Sevendust

Warner Music Group

75 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10019

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: 7Bros. Records
Telephone: (212) 275-2000

SEVENDUST RELEASES THEIR NEW ALBUM COLD DAY MEMORY

Sevendust - Lajon Witherspoon (Vocals), Morgan Rose (Drums/Vocals), Clint Lowery (Guitar/Vocals), Vince Hornsby (Bass/Vocals), John Connolly (Guitar/Vocals) are set to release their newest album Cold Day Memory on April 20^th. This will be the bands first new album with their original lineup back together since 2003’s Seasons. Guitar player Clint Lowery has been gone for the last three records Sevendust has released until now.

###

Killer Methane

When it comes to mining coal, an explosive gas known as methane will always pose a risk. When an area is opened up to mining, methane leaks out from the coal. This creates a threat to the miners if the gas gets ignited. However, there are steps that are taken to lessen the risk such as, pumping in fresh air to push the methane out. One major concern though is that people often take shortcuts that undermine safety. Sometimes such shortcuts result in a deadly explosion.

New York Times-

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/science/07methane.html?ref=science

Bookstore

Books are vital to a student’s college life, yet there are a variety of problems people face with them. First off, the costs of books can be quite high. Many textbooks can be priced well over $200 per book. Even buying used textbooks, students often spend hundred dollars for a semesters worth of literature. Not to mention, the bad condition many used books are in, and frustration one feels when their book is missing important pages. Also, when it comes to buying books it isn’t rare to see that the bookstore doesn’t have every book you need in stock. Sometimes it takes weeks for them to arrive, and at other times they never do. Finally, when the semester is over students sell back their books, and they often get only a slight fraction of what they paid for them. In this story I will aim to understand why there are so many problems students face when it comes to books, and what they can do to try and save some money.

I came up with this idea because over the time I've been in college, I've dealt with many of these issues. I know I'm not the only one too as many of my friends and other students have gone through the same problems. I've always kind of wondered why these things happened. I believe other students would be interested in knowing why these problems occur and why the textbooks are so costly.

Greenhouse Gas is Trouble

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has delayed requiring power plants, and other industrial sites to get a permit for greenhouse gas pollution. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases contribute to global warming, and threaten the welfare of mankind. The delay should help the government and facilities prepare themselves for the future cutbacks and regulation of greenhouse pollution.

New York Times-

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/science/earth/30emissions.html?ref=science

Story 6

Since 2006, Jennifer Liberty-Clark, a proud member of Cambridge’s Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Psychology department, has been connecting with students on more than just an intellectual level. Unlike many University professors, Liberty-Clark reaches out to her students to make an impact in their lives. To her, college is more than just shuffling students around, and memorizing certain facts. It is about a time in a student’s life to reinvent, and discover their true selves.

“We are all like onions, with many layers. Peeling them back is finding our true self. I feel like it's a life process, for sure, but as far as my career goes the onion has been peeled. I have found the inner core, the thing that was written for me to be, and to do long before I was born,” said Liberty-Clark.

However, Liberty-Clark didn’t always know that she’d end up with her career path as an educator. It took her years of peeling back the layers, and a twist in the road to find her purpose in life.

Psychology wasn’t anything new to Liberty-Clark growing up. Her uncle, George Petrangelo, was a psychology professor at St. Cloud University. Although, it wasn’t so much his two Master’s Degrees and PhD. that impressed her, but his knowledge for people, and how he interacted with them mentioned Liberty-Clark.

It wasn’t until college as a freshman that Liberty-Clark truly got hooked on psychology she said. The final push was a general psychology course. By 1991, Liberty-Clark received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in psychology with an emphasis in Human Resource Management.

While working at a bank Liberty-Clark went on to earn her Master’s Degree in 1995 at St. Cloud University with two focal areas in Counseling Psychology and Vocational Rehabilitation. However, has life would have it, by the time she graduated with her degree the State of Minnesota had changed their licensing laws. “Basically, counselors were made obsolete with only a Master’s degree, because Insurance companies wouldn’t pay for them,” described Liberty-Clark.

“I was very disappointed and so went back to the bank to work while I figured out my route. I ended up working for Dale Carnegie Training in their MN branch selling training/consulting services to fortune 100 and 500 companies. I also began actually training our customers. I did that for 10 years when I took an adjunct position at Century Community College teaching Lifespan Psychology,” said Liberty-Clark.

Slowly after that she eased her way out of the training and development field and into teaching at ARCC Liberty-Clark explained.

Since then she has been teaching students about more than just theories of psychology, and the theorists that created them; she has been teaching them to believe in themselves, and embrace education, and how they can be the voice of change in the world. If nothing else, Liberty-Clark hopes to teach students that they are worthy of a college education, of being successful and grabbing happiness as their own. “If they leave my classes seeing 'the cup half full rather than half empty', I've done my job,” added Liberty-Clark.

Perhaps Lasors aren't so Bad

Line Kessel, an ophthalmologist, and his colleagues have developed a cheaper alternative than replacement surgery in treating cataracts. As the leading cause of blindness, cataracts can often occur with aging. However, a new promising treatment is being tested in which a fast-pulse laser is used to deliver infrared light to help restore the eye lens back to normal.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/science/23oblens.html?ref=science

Interview 2

When and how did you first discover psychology? My uncle, George Petrangelo, was a professor at SCSU...so all of growing up I knew what it was and I always respected and admired him because he had two Master's Degrees and a PhD. But more than the education, it was his knowledge for PEOPLE and how he interacted with them that always impressed me.  What about it interested you? How it applied to our lives always interested me most. The theories are actually rather dry, unless we can make the cerebral connection to the things that happen in our own lives!  What made you decide that you wanted a career in psychology? I took general psych in college as a freshman and I was 'hooked.' It was pretty much a done deal after that!  Where did you go to get your degrees? In what years did you get them? I received my BS from the University of WI-Stout in the spring of 1991 in Psychology with an emphasis in Human Resource Management and a minor in Speech Communication. In 1995 I received my MA from St. Cloud State University with two focal areas: Counseling Psychology and Vocational Rehabilitation.  Why did you decide to go into the educational field of psychology and not another branch? I didn't at first. I first worked at a bank, then went on for my master's degree. At the time I graduated, the State of MN had changed their licensing laws, which basically made counselors 'obsolete' with only a master's degree. Insurance companies wouldn't pay for them. This has since changed, but as life would have it, I had to choose a different fork in the road....the fork that I was always suppose to take, I just didn't know it at the time! I was VERY disappointed and so went back to the bank to work while I figured out my route. I ended up working for Dale Carnegie Training in their MN branch selling training/consulting services to fortune 100 and 500 companies. I also began actually TRAINING our customers. I did that for 10 years when I took an adjunct position at Century Community College teaching Lifespan Psych. THey hired me one day and 3 days later I was prepped and in front of a classroom for the first time in a college setting! Baptism by fire is what's it called! I loved it and quite slowly eased out of the training and development field and into teaching at ARCC.  How has that decision to go into psychology impacted your life? In every way--physically [it's exhausting], emotionally [I can't tell you the number of emotions FELT in this job, sometimes all at the same time!], psychologically and spiritually. It's touched my relationships with my family, my husband, my children and all others I come into contact with. It's given my life purpose and meaning.  What are some of the most rewarding experiences you have had with this field? Seeing students turn their lives around. There are endless examples of students being the FIRST generation college students in their families, having horrific 'growing up conditions' and somehow in all of that finding their self-worth and desire to go to college and get an education, breaking the cycle of non-education and sometimes even poverty and abuse. Those situations DRIVE me. I came from a fairly NORMAL family, but I, too, am a first generation college student and so that specific population is dear to me! Helping them to be successful gives my life a purpose!  What kind of struggles, and down sides do you face in this field? How do they compare with your upsides/rewarding experiences? I'm not big on having to be the 'heavy' and coming down on a student or students when they need to buck up and get on board, but it's a necessary evil. I'm getting more confident at holding the line! ;)   What is your favorite thing about teaching psychology? The connections that students can make with their lives and when the lightbulb goes off!  Is there anything you wish you could change in your field of psychology or relating back to your job? I wouldn't change anything. It's what it is. The history of it unfolding, the theorists, even the strange ones, still have offered great things to the field and I'm not big on changing what's behind us, only what's in front of us!  How do you try to make an impact in your students' lives? By helping them to believe in themselves, to trust themselves, to embrace education and to understand how important they are to being a voice and the "change" in our world.  What is the number one thing you want all your students to take away from your classes? Understanding that they are worthy of a college education, of being successful and grabbing happiness as their own! If they leave my classes seeing 'the cup 1/2 FULL rather than 1/2 EMPTY', I've done my job!  How have your students impacted you? In ENDLESS ways. They humor me, they entertain me, they challenge me, my thinking, my brain capacity!  They energize me, they inspire me, they've changed me spiritually. It's been quite the ride. I can see their faces, many of them, whom I've taught over the  years and can tell you how they've changed me. I don't have enough time or space to write them all.  Have your students taught you anything? If so give some examples. They've taught me many things but one of the most important lessons, which has been a repeated lesson learned in my life is to NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT"S COVER! They've taught me that everyone deserves a 2nd, and in some cases a 3rd and 4th chance and they've even taught me that sometimes the 'dog really does eat your homework!'  I remember a student the first year I taught at ARCC in the green tin shed bldg across from the current campus. He came into IS 105 [lecture hall and performing arts center] with his hat and pants both riding low, one on his eyes the other on his hips. He had an attitude about him and before I even connected with his eyes, I judged him. I thought, "Oh boy...he and I are going to have some issues this semester!" He got an A on his first test, one on his 2nd test and very quickly I was proven WRONG about my first impressions! I've tried really, really hard to not make that mistake again!  Finally, is this a career that you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life? Why? Yes, because it brings me such joy and meaning. I wish this for everyone. I've taught Career Development to so many students over the years and I've tried to instill in them the analogy that Shrek mentions. We are all like onions, with many layers. Peeling them back is finding our TRUE self. I feel like it's a life process, for sure, but as far as my career goes, the onion has been peeled, I have found the inner core....the thing that was written for me to be and to do long before I was born. I wish that for all my students....to find the same depth of purpose and meaning.  I cannot, truly, imagine another job other than TEACHING people, that could bring me such things. I believe it's in Gods master plan for my life.

Golden Victory

On Saturday, March 6^th the Lady Golden Rams basketball team of Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) beat Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC). Not only did they beat them on Saturday, but ARCC won all three games against the MCTC team. This win secured ARCC to first place in the MCAC Southern Division. Furthermore, according to the NJCAA national poll, the Lady Golden Rams are one of the highest ranking teams in the country. So not only were these girls on fire Saturday night, but they’re blazing through this season.

As the game came to the end Saturday, the Lady Golden Rams defeated MCTC by four shy points, bringing the final score to 78-74. Two players took the spot light when it came to the victory ARCC had over MCTC. Freshman Mallory Cramer made some very vital shots, including two free throws that brought the game to a tie before overtime. Alex Moore also had a huge impact on Saturday’s win. This sophomore guard managed to rack up almost 20 points during the game, and half as many assists.

Although the women of MCTC towered over ARCC, their height advantage didn’t stop the Golden Rams. Sophomore Alyssa Silva and freshman Marie Hanson first got ARCC up on the board. The battle between teams was back and forth. ARCC showed that three point shots weren’t ever going out of style. However, fouls cluttered the game. Both teams received a fair share. By half time the score was 31-34, ARCC trailing three points.

ARCC wouldn’t back down, and kept up the fight. As MCTC missed their half court shot with the last seconds of the game draining away, the victory ARCC had was secured.

Cutting Back on Cutting

Americans are spending less on plastic surgery in these tough economic times. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, people in the United States spent 20% less on cosmetic surgical procedures, compared to how much they spent in 2007. However, nonsurgical treatments, such as Botox, are actually on the rise, increasing by 4% since 2007.

- New York Times

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/sagging-interest-in-plastic-surgery/

The Minnesota Wild Dream

“Being 10 ft. from the glass and hearing the horn sound when the Wild score a goal,” is just one of her favorite things about a Minnesota Wild hockey game, said Rebecca Fore.

“I loved going to games, and watching them on t.v. with my family,” Fore said. Fore, 21, said she grew up watching hockey with her family.

Being born and raised in Minnesota, Fore states, she’ll always support the Minnesota Wild. “Look at the fan base here in Minnesota, we’re known as the team of 18,000 because of the continuous sell-out seats at every home game. If you’ve ever had an opportunity to attend a Wild game you would understand the enthusiasm and passion the fans here in Minnesota have for the game,” explained Fore.

“The crowd always goes nuts and it’s so loud you couldn’t hear the person next to you even if you wanted to,” Fore noted.

Fore said she has been to a countless number of games, and will actually be attending one within the next couple weeks. Fore commented that she even went and saw a game during the pre-season in North Dakota. “The drive wasn't the best, but we still won the game and made it well worth it,” Fore added.

In the future, Fore hopes to work for the Minnesota Wild. She says that becoming a sports broadcaster or working with public relations would both be great careers for herself. “I would get to promote my favorite sport and be able to reach out more to youth hockey,” Fore explained. For now, she is working towards that dream by attending Anoka Ramsey Community College.

Interview

Rebecca Fore, 21

Zimmerman, MN

1. So I see you enjoy hockey, why is that?

I grew up watching sports and hockey was one that I enjoyed watching the

most. To me, it’s the one sport that leaves you on constant edge and with

one mistake can change the entire game, plus its always fun to see a nice

hockey fight.

2. What to you sets hockey apart from other sports?

I would say what sets hockey apart from any other sport is the fact that

we’re in Minnesota. Look at the fan base here in Minnesota, we’re known

as the team of 18,000 because of the continuous sell-out seats at every

home game. If you’ve ever had an opportunity to attend a Wild game you

would understand the enthusiasm and passion the fans here in Minnesota have

for the game, myself being one of them.

3. What got you interested in hockey in the first place?

My family are the first to really first introduce me to hockey. I loved

going to games, and watching them on t.v. with my family. Its just

something we all enjoy together.

4. Tell me about your own involvement with hockey.

I personally have never played hockey, but enjoyed going to high school

games at the Elk River arena and going to the Wild games when Minnesota was

fortunate enough to bring a pro team back in 2000-2001 season.

5. Why exactly is the Minnesota Wild your favorite hockey team?

The Minnesota Wild is my favorite hockey team because I was born and raised

in Minnesota and I’ll always support the teams from my home state.

6. Who is your favorite player on the team? Why?

I have a few different favorite players for different reasons. Derek

Boogaard because he is one of our best enforcers on our team, and adds a

lot of energy as well. I also like Brent Burns who is a defensemen for the

Wild, and Mikko Koivu who was named out first permanent captain ever for

the wild this season.

7. I understand you want to become a sports broadcaster, what led you to

this decision?

I love watching sports and also love talking about them, I figured this

would be a great career for me. I’m also interested in Public Relations

so with being a people person I would love to promote sports, getting paid

for it would definitely be a huge bonus.

8. Why would you want to work for the Minnesota Wild?

Three words- Best Job Ever. I would be able to attend the hockey games, or

even be getting paid to watch them. On top of it I would get to promote my

favorite sport and be able to reach out more to youth hockey.

9. What do you hope to gain by working for them? What are your

expectations?

I would love to gain first and foremost more knowledge of the game and

history. There is so much history out there I have yet to know and with

working in the industry I would be constantly gaining information.

10. How big of a Minnesota Wild fan are you? How do you show your support?

I’m a HUGE Wild fan. I’ve been to countless number of games, and will

actually be attending one within the next couple weeks. I also love showing

support for the Wild with my Jerseys and other Wild apparel.

11. What is your number one favorite thing about watching a hockey game?

I love a good close game. One that will leave you on the edge of your seat

in an overtime shootout to have your team win on the last shot. Playoffs

are even better.

12. Do you enjoy a good hockey brawl, or do you wish they'd just play the

game?

I absolutely love them. They make the game even that much more better.

13. Tell me about a typical night watching hockey. Do you have your friends

over, any special traditions or foods, do you actually go to the games or

just watch on TV, ect? Try to be as specific/detailed as possible.

The best is going to a live game. Being 10 ft. from the glass and hearing

the horn sound when the Wild score a goal. The crowd always goes nuts and

its so loud you couldn’t hear the person next to you even if you wanted

to. Its so crazy how you can feed off the other people in the crowds

enthusiasm. In my opinion its one of the most exciting sporting events one

could attend. I once even bought a set of tickets to a Wild game vs. the

Sabres thinking it was a home game during pre-season but in fact it was in

North Dakota. The drive wasn’t the best, but we still won the game and

made it well worth it.

Hiding in the Dark with a Migraine

Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraines which are severe, recurring headaches that may occur along with symptoms of light sensitivity, nausea or weakness. However, those who don’t suffer from them often underestimate their disabling effect. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments available to help cut back on the pain, and the number of occurrences.

- New York Times

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/the-voices-of-migraine/

Story 3

North Point Inn had an unwanted visitor yesterday morning, a knife wielding robber. Minutes before 9 a.m. yesterday a disguised man walked into the office of Nina Cortez, the restaurant’s bookkeeper. With all of the previous day’s revenue freshly counted on her desk, the man without saying a word grabbed $130. “He just took the money and walked out,” stated Cortez.

A few minutes’ later police arrived at the restaurant. That’s when they found Kevin Blohm, a cook at the restaurant. “I went into the hallway with the police and saw blood on a door in the reception area. It was awful. There was blood on the walls and floor,” said Cortez. Blohm had been stabbed to death. “He had a large knife wound in his chest and another on one hand,” remarked Cortez.

Police are currently investigating and looking into the possibility of a second suspect. Although Cortez only saw one man, she heard someone shout “Get that money out of there,” after she locked herself in her office. There is no answer yet to why Blohm had been stabbed, but Cortez believes he may have gotten in the way or tried to stop the robber. Cortez was not hurt during the robbery.

Cortez describes the man she saw as 5’ 10”, medium build and in his early 20s. He was wearing blue jeans, a blue plaid button-up shirt, and blue tennis shoes. She was not able to see his face due to a scarf he had tied cowboy style around his face. If you have any information about this man or the events that took place please contact the local police.

Nap Time

Naps aren’t just for toddlers anymore, researchers have found out in a recent study dealing with the learning power of young adults. Sleeping for 90 minutes can actually restore the brain’s ability to learn, like a sponge ready to soak up new information. In the study, those who took a nap had a 10% increase in their scores compared to those who didn’t sleep.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/health/research/23beha.html?em

Saving the Penguins, and More!

Researchers from the University of Cape Town found that even a small protected area can help save endangered species. In an effort to save a target group of fish species, a marine conservation zone was established to prevent commercial fishing in that area. As a result the top predator of the fish, the African penguin, has seen positive effects that may help save their species.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/science/16obbird.html?ref=science

Story 2 - Denied

In a meeting Thursday afternoon, Isanti’s county sheriff sparked a heated debate with several county commissioners over the city’s budget. Sheriff Gus DiCesari believes the residents of Isanti are being put at risk if the law enforcement doesn’t receive proper funding. However, those funds would amount to $580,000; money which Isanti doesn’t have. The shortage of money this year is due to increased costs for health care, and higher fuel costs Commission President Anne Chenn stated. Roughly $30 million alone was spent on constructing a new prison, consuming nearly a quarter of the total budget. Chenn told DiCesari he “would just have to make do this year,” because they couldn’t afford the eight new cruisers and five additional deputies he was asking for. The sheriff’s request was denied with a vote of 5-2.

The Nexus Hotline

Owners of the Nexus One, a touchscreen smartphone developed by Google, haven’t been receiving satisfying customer support from the company. The company only provided an e-mail address, and forum to help those in need. However, it would take several days before getting a response from an e-mail. Now Google, in an effort to boost customer support, unveiled a support hotline customers can call for inquiries and shipping questions.

New York Times -

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/google-opens-phone-line-for-nexus-one-customers/?ref=technology

College Student

I remember back to my first day at ARCC. I was pretty nervous, my palms were sweaty and my heart was ready to burst from my chest. I had no clue what to expect. What would my professors be like? Who would be in my classes? Would I know anyone? Those were just a few of the questions racing through my mind. It didn't help I had no idea where my classes were. However, thankfully for a map, and help from the information desk I was able to make my way to class. When I first walked through the door of my first class, I was so relieved to see some familiar faces. I didn't have to worry about being surrounded by complete strangers anymore. As the class started and progressed, I became more relaxed. I was comfortable sitting by those I knew, and those I didn't seemed alright with me. It surprised me on how the class was run though. Coming from high school, things were more hands on, but this college class was purely lecture. I tried my best to keep up with the professor, scribbling away furiously in my notebook to every single word. By the end of class, I had pages of unreadable chicken scratch. My efforts were in vain. The four hour class seemed to slip by so fast. After everything was packed up, I was done for the day. That was a great enjoy. Gone were the days of seven hours worth of class blocks. Gone were the days of 7 a.m. bus rides to school. Finally, gone were the days of high school drama. I was a college student now.

A Different kind of Foam

Hundreds of tropical frogs create nests for their offspring out of foam. Crafted in a deliberate fashion, the foam is formed out of a fluid from the female frog and water. The eggs are then delivered and fertilized before being put inside of the center of this nest. Inside the nest, the eggs are protected by proteins in the fluid, which prevent damage from pathogens and sunlight.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02obfoam.html?ref=science

story 1

Two drivers died and several others were injured in an accident on Interstate 790. At 6:45 a.m. this morning two tractor trailers collided, creating a chain reaction. According to Sgt. Albert Wei of the police department, 16 other vehicles were involved including a tractor-trailer hauling diesel fuel. Very luckily the tanker “didn’t roll over or dump any fuel or catch fire,” stated Wei. However, four victims of the accident sustained life-threatening injuries, announced Fire Chief Tony Sullivan. Two of the four had to be rushed 50 miles away in the “Life Flight” helicopter from Memorial Hospital to the trauma center in Statesville. Overall, 20 people were injured. Sullivan described the scene like it was a war zone; people covered in blood, bodies sprawled along the road, workers franticly rushing around doing everything they could to help. It was chaos. In over the 18 years Sullivan has been with the fire department, he has never seen anything so bad. According to Wei, Interstate 790 remains closed, and there is still no indication on when it’ll be open to traffic again.

Walking Fido

Research from University of Missouri has found people who walk dogs show more health improvements than those who walk with a human companion. Dog walkers had a bigger increase in physical fitness, but also were more consistent with exercising regularly.

New York Times -

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/the-best-walking-partner-man-vs-dog/

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Side of Leads

There were quite a few mistakes I've had with leads. Often, I'm really tempted to get ALL the information from an article packed into one sentence. This not only makes the sentence extremely long, but also makes it confusing. So, I've learned to keep it short and sweet. I just try to focus on getting the important information and leaving out the rest. Also, keeping a lead specific rather than a vague is ideal. This lets the reader know exactly what the lead and article is about. Finally, by creating an interesting lead you're more likely to grab the reader's attention. If you have a boring lead then the reader might simply bypass the article. So, while I still have a lot to learn, I'm beginning to grasp the concept of news writing.

Breadwinner

Pew Research Center found that men are now gaining greater economic benefits from marriage. In recent decades, the rate of women’s earnings and education level has increased. This development has allowed wives to contribute a higher portion of income to their household, and even reach breadwinner status.

New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/us/19marriage.html?em

Intro

Music is my passion. I'm the person you see walking down the hall humming along. The one in your rear view mirror singing a song. Theres always a tune up inside my head. It's like I'm a human radio station, but just without the commercials. While I enjoy a variety of music styles, rock is what really has my heart. Anything from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, to Interpol and Tool. I'm always out there looking to discover a new band to add to my favorites. Pandora has been great for that. If you haven't heard of Pandora, you should definitely check it out (Go go gadget Google!). Its a free customizable radio station. Just type in what band or song you like, and sit back and enjoy. Lately I've been listening to this song called The Mission by Puscifer. Its the side project of Maynard James Keenan, the singer from Tool/APC. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XoGcSw565U&feature=related Here is a link to the song if you want to hear it for yourself.

Beyond music, I am a person of many interests. Thats a good reason why I am here right now typing up this blog. I don't plan on becoming a journalist, but the idea sparked up some fascination. I like to try out a variety of things. There is so much to learn and gain from every experience. So for now, I'm kicking around the community college taking classes like this one. Maybe one of these roads will lead to the career I can't live without. Until then I'll wear my label of Undecided.