NY Times Reading Log 27/9

The front page story about screening women for cervix cancer in Thailand, that was continued on page A3,  had some interesting quotes. This quote: ‘ “Some doctors resist” the cryptotherapy approach, said Dr. Wachara Eamratsameekool. This indicates a clear effort by the NYT to not plagiarize.

Furthermore I still think the American army’s casualties count in the daily newspaper is somewhat disturbing.

The follow-up story in the national section of the newspaper on the floodings in Penssylvania were well done, this time with more pictures and not as much focus on one individual.

Also, the article on poverty and unemployment is shocking, I hope it sparks the government to do something about the nonexistent social security.

NY Times Reading Log Monday 26/9

On the front page today, there was an article about Saudi-Arabia, that women are as of last Sunday allowed to vote and allowed to held public offices. I liked the news, and the article was well-written, certainly because the journalist points out the contradiction that women are probably not very likely to run for a public office, for they legally need a male chaperone for about every public action and they are not permitted to drive.
The Bronx article, also on the front page, was nice because I have just been in New York this weekend. I liked the delayed lede at the Mexican gangs-article on page 4.
The in-dept article about trial and the US judiciary system on page A18, I believe to be of great social significance, raising awareness about how certain things are done in your home country and sparking discussion is one of the things that 'good' news should do.

Delayed Lede in class 26/9

It was bound to be a quiet day at work. Ken Loughlin, who sat at the edge of the water near his beloved Wallace Stands State Beach in Rye, NH, was already daydreaming of his week off this summer.

                On this boiling Wednesday in July, he was to keep an eye on the swimmers, as he had done for the past 30 years, while planning his little holiday.

                Loughlin nor any of the swimmers could at that point foresee the tragedy that was about to happen this day.

The Big Sting

Class Story of September 19

The Big Sting

Today, over 100 people were stung by a giant dead jellyfish at the Wallace Stands State Beach in Rye , NH. Emergency crews from the area closed the beach and treated the victims, who were complaining of a bee-sting like feeling, in the bathhouse.

Despite the fact that five children were taken to the hospital for fear of allergic reactions, officials report no serious injury.  Lifeguards spotted the massive, 50-pound jellyfish in the water short after people started complaining of getting stung.

Robert Royers, an aquarist at the Seacoast Science Centre, identified the jellyfish as being a Lions’ Mane. This jellyfish, he says, is common to the area. They have 100 feet long barbed tentacles, which can even sting when the jellyfish is killed. The Lions’ Mane is the largest jellyfish in New England waters, but Royers has no recollection of any of them reaching 50 pounds in weight.

Ken Loughlin, the manager for 30 years of the Park where the incident happened, reports to have “never seen such a thing before. It was as big as a turkey platter.”  

The jellyfish, which was already dead, also turned Alysia Bennett’s afternoon at the beach into a nightmare. Her children, whom she took to the beach for a swim, suddenly came running out of the water, “crying and terrified”.

At 2 p.m., shortly after the jellyfish was spotted, emergency crews from the towns of Stratham, Portsmouth, Greenland, New Hampton, Newington and Rye were summoned to aid the victims. The fact that the dead jellyfish was pulled out of the water by local lifeguards, did not diminish the amount of victims. With a water temperature of 63 F and an air temperature of 72 F, the beach was crowded, which contributed to the large amount of victims.