DID YOU KNOW THAT HAVING THE FASTEST TIME IN A MARATHON DOESN’T MAKE YOU THE WINNER? AS STRANGE AS IT SOUNDS, ONE WOMAN WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS AFTER RUNNING IN THE NIKE WOMEN’S MARATHON, SUNDAY IN SAN FRANCISCO.
24-YEAR-OLD ARIEN O’CONNEL (O-CON-ULL) BEAT HER OWN RECORD TIME AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE’S BUT DIDN’T HEAR HER NAME ANNOUNCED AT THE TROPHY CEREMONY. RACE OFFICIALS TOLD HER THAT HER TIME DIDN’T COUNT BECAUSE SHE HADN’T CLASSIFIED HERSELF AS AN ELITE RUNNER. THE ELITE GROUP HAD A 20-MINUTE HEAD START SO TECHNICALLY SHE WASN’T IN THE SAME RACE AS THEM. THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHER HAD THE BEST TIME BUT MADE THE INNOCENT MISTAKE OF NOT RUNNING WITH THE RIGHT GROUP. SHE MODESTLY ADMITTED: "I'm a good, solid runner. I never considered myself elite."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Real News Story Broadcast
A 95 YEAR OLD WOMAN MADE HISTORY TODAY AND SURPRISINGLY, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HER AGE. MABEL MCCULLOUGH (MA-COO-LOW) CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY WITH A CAKE THAT HELD ALL 95 CANDLES. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE JUST MINUTES AFTER FRIENDS HELPED HER BLOW OUT THE CANDLES.
FIVE FIRE ENGINES AND 24 FIREFIGHTERS RUSHED TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AFTER SMOKE FROM THE CANDLES SET OFF THE CHURCH’S FIRE ALARMS. THE WOMEN NEVER HEARD THE ALARMS GO OFF AND WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DOORWAY.
FIRE CHIEF LONNIE LAMB SAID: "In my 25 years on the job, I've seen a lot of things set off a fire alarm, but I don't think I ever heard of one going off because of a birthday cake."
AND NO NEED FOR GOODIE BAGS, MABEL AND HER FRIENDS GOT TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS INSTEAD.
FIVE FIRE ENGINES AND 24 FIREFIGHTERS RUSHED TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AFTER SMOKE FROM THE CANDLES SET OFF THE CHURCH’S FIRE ALARMS. THE WOMEN NEVER HEARD THE ALARMS GO OFF AND WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DOORWAY.
FIRE CHIEF LONNIE LAMB SAID: "In my 25 years on the job, I've seen a lot of things set off a fire alarm, but I don't think I ever heard of one going off because of a birthday cake."
AND NO NEED FOR GOODIE BAGS, MABEL AND HER FRIENDS GOT TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS INSTEAD.
Broadcast Style Exercise
NORTHWEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT IS CUTTING ITS DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40 PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELERS. THE C-E-O OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES, FRANK DEWITT (DOO-WIT), SAID: "We like to think of it as a holiday gift to our customers." TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 12 AND JANUARY 14 IN THE LOWER 48 STATES, ALASKA, AND CANADA. DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN POPULAR DAYS INCLUDING NOVEMBER 23, NOVEMBER 26, DECEMBER 23, AND DECEMBER 26. WITH THE DISCOUNTED NON REFUNDABLE FARES, A PASSENGER COULD TRAVEL ROUND TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR 500 DOLLARS ON CERTAIN DAYS.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Reporting with Numbers
1) $120 million budget
In order from most to least:
66%- State
28%- Fees, grants, gifts
5%- Student tuition
Over half of the budget comes from the state. Fees, grants and gifts contribute half as much as the state, and very little comes from student tuition.
2) Prison terms
Average: 22 months prison, 22 months probation
Median: 12 months prison, 12 months probation
The median is the most accurate description of prison terms because it would throw off the average when most of the numbers are close in range, and one is completely off. For example, most of the prison sentences were 12 months, and there was one that stood out because it was 84 years. That one prison sentence will throw off the average, increasing it when majority of the prison sentences were 12 months. It is best to go with majority in this case, and the median will help you do that by sorting numbers from highest to lowest, and selecting the number in the middle. It will definitely cut out the number that is too high or too low.
3) State legislature tax
State slaes tax: 8.25%
People who spend $5 per week on food end up paying $260 a year, without tax (multiply $5 x 52 weeks). With tax:
$5 x .0825 = .4125, so about 41 cents is added to $5 for tax. Grand total $5.41 x 52 weeks = $281.32.
Subtract 281-260.
The person would save about $20 per year if the taxes were eexempt.
People who spend $20 per week would save: (using the same strategy as above, but plugging in $20 instead of $5)
$85 (saved).
In order from most to least:
66%- State
28%- Fees, grants, gifts
5%- Student tuition
Over half of the budget comes from the state. Fees, grants and gifts contribute half as much as the state, and very little comes from student tuition.
2) Prison terms
Average: 22 months prison, 22 months probation
Median: 12 months prison, 12 months probation
The median is the most accurate description of prison terms because it would throw off the average when most of the numbers are close in range, and one is completely off. For example, most of the prison sentences were 12 months, and there was one that stood out because it was 84 years. That one prison sentence will throw off the average, increasing it when majority of the prison sentences were 12 months. It is best to go with majority in this case, and the median will help you do that by sorting numbers from highest to lowest, and selecting the number in the middle. It will definitely cut out the number that is too high or too low.
3) State legislature tax
State slaes tax: 8.25%
People who spend $5 per week on food end up paying $260 a year, without tax (multiply $5 x 52 weeks). With tax:
$5 x .0825 = .4125, so about 41 cents is added to $5 for tax. Grand total $5.41 x 52 weeks = $281.32.
Subtract 281-260.
The person would save about $20 per year if the taxes were eexempt.
People who spend $20 per week would save: (using the same strategy as above, but plugging in $20 instead of $5)
$85 (saved).
AP Exercises (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 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 such a weirdo. (3)
BONUS:• The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shot-gun outside his home. (1)
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 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 such a weirdo. (3)
BONUS:• The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shot-gun outside his home. (1)
Mccain and Obama Make Nice
Put the boxing gloves away. Presidential candidates McCain and Obama are actually showing the American people how to be good sports in a grueling game of politics. Yes, it is actually possible.
In a Yahoo News article this weekend(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_el_pr/obama), Barack Obama and John McCain defended one another to fellow supporters. When one McCain supporter called Obama an Arab, McCain respectively replied, "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man and citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about." Obama made sure to tell his crowd of supporters in Philadelphia that he was appreciative of McCain's notion of being able to disagree without disrespecting one another. Obama who is finding confidence among his Philadelphian supporters and currently leading the polls, was not phased by the TV ads the McCain campaign has aired. Although the ads are spurring some McCain supporters to view him as a terrorist, Obama confidently responded, "I can take it for four more weeks." He carried on optimistically with his weekend of rallying.
I feel that this story comes at the right time. As we near Election Day, our emotions are all over the place. As a country, we are facing an economic crisis, a need for better health care, and a devastating war. What we need is to come together as a country and focus on the matters that are affecting us most. Our next president will need to lead with dignity and by both candidates straying away from personal attacks on one another, we are moving in the right direction.
Prominence-Our presidential candidates
Impact-American population
Recency-Weekend coverage
In a Yahoo News article this weekend(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_el_pr/obama), Barack Obama and John McCain defended one another to fellow supporters. When one McCain supporter called Obama an Arab, McCain respectively replied, "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man and citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about." Obama made sure to tell his crowd of supporters in Philadelphia that he was appreciative of McCain's notion of being able to disagree without disrespecting one another. Obama who is finding confidence among his Philadelphian supporters and currently leading the polls, was not phased by the TV ads the McCain campaign has aired. Although the ads are spurring some McCain supporters to view him as a terrorist, Obama confidently responded, "I can take it for four more weeks." He carried on optimistically with his weekend of rallying.
I feel that this story comes at the right time. As we near Election Day, our emotions are all over the place. As a country, we are facing an economic crisis, a need for better health care, and a devastating war. What we need is to come together as a country and focus on the matters that are affecting us most. Our next president will need to lead with dignity and by both candidates straying away from personal attacks on one another, we are moving in the right direction.
Prominence-Our presidential candidates
Impact-American population
Recency-Weekend coverage
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