Story of the Week

Comments on "How Many More Mike Browns Are Out There?" by MARK THOMPSON, KAREN TUMULTY, MIKE ALLEN of Time Magazine Sept. 25, 2005

This story is a good example of investigating vs. reporting the news. Time had already broken the story on Mike Brown's resume. There were results from that round of investigation and they could have stopped there. However, they continued investigating going on the question of how many more could they be. Hopefully, this round will lead to good results.

News Story of the Week

Comments on the article, "Southland Not Ready for Disaster" by Sharon Bernstein for the Los Angeles Times, September 17, 2005. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-disaster17sep17,1,6120489.story

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there have been a handful of articles discussing the likelihood of a disastrous earthquake in Los Angeles. This is directly related to an earthquake in LA being next on the list for likely disasters after numbers one (a terrorist attack in New York) and two (a hurricane in New Orleans) came true. (This is from a list from FEMA from 2001 as according to another article in the Los Angeles Times). What makes this a good story is that specifics about how prepared Los Angeles County is for a earthquake are laid out as opposed to a scare of the chaos after a disaster. Beyond addressing what we are and aren’t prepared for, this article also provides information on how individuals and families can prepare for such an event.

News Story of the Week

Comments on the article, "Southland Not Ready for Disaster" by Sharon Bernstein of the Los Angeles Times on September 17, 2005. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-disaster17sep17,1,6120489.story?page=1

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there have been a handful of articles discussing the likelihood of a disastrous earthquake in Los Angeles. This is directly related to an earthquake in LA being next on the list for likely disasters after numbers one (a terrorist attack in New York) and two (a hurricane in New Orleans) came true. (This is from a list from FEMA from 2001 as according to another article in the Los Angeles Times). What makes this a good story is that specifics about how prepared Los Angeles County is for a earthquake are laid out as opposed to a scare of the chaos after a disaster. Beyond addressing what we are and aren’t prepared for, this article also provides information on how individuals and families can prepare for such an event.

News Story of the Week

Comments on the article, " Roberts Avoids Specifics on Abortion Issue" by Amy Goldstein and Charles Babington from the Washington Post online September 14, 2005

This was one of the many news stories out covering this day of John Roberts’ confirmation hearings. Like much of the other news coverage on this event, the article took small parts of statements that Roberts and senators made and translated them into layman’s terms. For those who could not watch the hearings, this helped to summarize the issues that were and weren’t talked about. What sets this particular coverage apart from the many others today on this subject is what came with the article. Along side of the article, you can choose links to read the day’s transcripts, watch video clips, and read analyses of Roberts’ testimony. While the story gives a succinct summary, there are other easily accessible options for those who want to know more. This coverage by the Washington Post online allows users to personalize the depth of their coverage on one page where they can read the exact comments and form their own opinions or read the opinions of others. Most importantly, there are clear labels that let the reader know when they are encountering opinion.

News Story of the Week

Comments on the article "Flood Drives New Agenda in Capital" by Janet Hook from the Los Angeles Times 9/6/05


This article, by the nature of the topic it covered, showed the intertwining relationships of some of our nations biggest issues. By calling attention to the agenda of congress, we are able to see the priorities that our lawmakers give to these issues. Logically, the issue given priority has been aid for Hurricane Katrina victims and the confirmation of John G. Roberts. Interestingly, the issue that was removed from the top of the agenda is the vote on the estate tax, which has been postponed. Katrina easily overshadows any story in the news, including the estate tax, but it is important to remember how these issues are connected. The estate tax, which benefits the wealthy, will decrease funding for government programs and initiatives which benefit mainly the poor, such as many Katrina victims and soldiers in Iraq. What is significant about this news article is that it has served the public properly in providing new information on important issues, despite the potentially boring topic of the order of the agenda in congress.

Hello Internet

I am not new to the internet, but I am new to the world of blogs. I am a student at USC in the Annenberg school and I will be posting here for one of my classes. Hopefully, I will be able to develop this site well enough to include more than my homework, but we shall see what time will allow.

Micah Kawaguchi-Ailetcher