DURHAM - The Durham Zoo's rare spotted leopard, Fluffy, has disappeared without leaving a trace last Tuesday night.
The discovery was made by Fluffy-lover James Petronkis,. 36, of 34 West St. Newmarket. The man, who visits the zoo every morning to visit his favorite animal, "immediately recognized that something was wrong". Fluffy had not made her straw nest, as she usually does when she goes to sleep.
When Petronkis alarmed the zookeepers, he was told not to worry and to mind his own business, for the cage door was shut and locked, and the fence appeared unbroken. Also, the escape alarm on Fluffy's cage did not sound,
However, official alarm was raised half an hour later when zookeepers noticed that the leopard was not inside of her little house.
Upon this alarm, the Zoo's gates were closed and visitors were escorted out of the zoo as quickly as possible.
The news of the escape was received with mixed feelings. The crowd of visitors at the gate mainly appeared scared and confused. Children were crying, grown-ups were scowling. As said a man from the crowd: "I want my money back, and then I'm never coming back here again! This place is out of control."
Durrell, the director of the Durham Zoo, reacted with as much emotion during the press conference the Zoo gave on the escape at 9.00 a.m. this morning. "We love that cat, and we don't want to lose her", he said with teary eyes. Kitty Smith, the Zoo's chief biologist, is also tear-struck when she reports on the news.
The escaped animal is an extremely rare 10-year-old Romanian leopard. Only 5 of such animals are still alive today, of which Fluffy is the only female. She has a black fur with white spots, weighs 146 pounds and can run op to 60 miles an hour.
In Romania, these animals have become extremely rare after they have been hunted down because of their appetite for young children. Despite the fact that Fluffy is being fed on chickens, she is still very dangerous and not to be tampered with.
Says Smith: "Fluffy is a wonderful, warm, gentle cat who has never hurt anyone. But if she is cornered, or encountered on a dark night, [...] she will kill now and ask later."
Smith recommends people who run into Fluffy to lay down and keep still. Fluffy may be licking and sniffing on them, but she will not react violently if you do not look her in the eye nor are scared.
Later during the press conference, Police Chief William Blair takes the word. He is the head of the search for the missing leopard.
Zookeepers armed with high-powered rifles and pistols were searching the area thoroughly as Blair enlightened the audience with his plans for capturing the leopard.
"We will begin searching every inch of this zoo" he said, " If we cannot find her in the zoo, we will be searching the neighbourhood, beginning close to the zoo and then enlarging the circle.
He emphasizes the importance of the capturing of the hungry cat: "We don't want to have her wanrdering around when our children get out of school." Also, the cat is almost impossible to find in the dark, for Fluffy has perfect nightvision and humans do not.
Blair will be aided in his search by the New Hampshire State Police and the State Wildlife department.
maandag 31 oktober 2011
maandag 17 oktober 2011
Lede Class 10/11
17-year old James Laboke is the hero of the day today in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.
When he walked his usual walk to work this morning somewhat before 6 a.m., he saw the car of 80-year-old Francois Truffaut standing on the Amtrak Downeaster railroad track, with the morning train of 6.10 bound to approach and the owner unconscious behind the steering wheel.
When Laboke saw the car, he pounded on the windows to wake the driver up. The engine of the car was running, and the doors were locked.
When he did not manage to revive Truffault, the young man, who does not own a mobile phone, did not hesitate at this sight and ran 100 yards to the police station to alert the police and save Truffauts life. " I never thought about it," Laboke said, I just knew I couldn't let that man get crushed by a train".
After the police was alerted by Laboke at 6 a.m., they sent out a radio message, which was picked up by police officer Janet Paradiso. She acted immediately. "I knew I had to do something," she said later about her arrival on the scene at 6.05 a.m. "I knew there was no time".
When she heard the train' s whistle just as she arrived, she rammed her police cruiser into Truffault's 1987 flamboyant pink Cadillac Seville, pushing it from the train track.
About thirty seconds later, the
When he walked his usual walk to work this morning somewhat before 6 a.m., he saw the car of 80-year-old Francois Truffaut standing on the Amtrak Downeaster railroad track, with the morning train of 6.10 bound to approach and the owner unconscious behind the steering wheel.
When Laboke saw the car, he pounded on the windows to wake the driver up. The engine of the car was running, and the doors were locked.
When he did not manage to revive Truffault, the young man, who does not own a mobile phone, did not hesitate at this sight and ran 100 yards to the police station to alert the police and save Truffauts life. " I never thought about it," Laboke said, I just knew I couldn't let that man get crushed by a train".
After the police was alerted by Laboke at 6 a.m., they sent out a radio message, which was picked up by police officer Janet Paradiso. She acted immediately. "I knew I had to do something," she said later about her arrival on the scene at 6.05 a.m. "I knew there was no time".
When she heard the train' s whistle just as she arrived, she rammed her police cruiser into Truffault's 1987 flamboyant pink Cadillac Seville, pushing it from the train track.
About thirty seconds later, the
17 Oct Class exercise
Saturday Disciplinary Sessions at School Stirs Debate in Monday's School Board Meeting
No more sleeping in on Saturday mornings for misbehaving schoolchildren in Portsmouth - and their parents.
This will be the case if Tim Steele of the School Board of Portsmouth gets his way.
The Boards' proposal was to discipline misbehaving children during a Saturday morning session from 8.00 a.m. to 12 p.m., instead of punishing them during weekdays. This measure, intended to lower the amount of people breaking school rules, will cost the community $3,000 per year for staffing.
This measure is intended to lower the amount of class time children miss when serving ' in-house suspension' , which means that they are punished during a weekday by having to sit in an empty classroom all day under close supervision of a faculty member.
Last year, 154 students missed at least one day of class each because of their punishment, which they are not allowed to make up for during this time. In-house detention is automatically given to students who are caught smoking in- or outside of Portsmouth High School.
The proposal was met with fierce opposition, such as the reaction of Peggy Bacon, a parent of a Portsmouth High School student: "I just don't think it's going to make any difference, and the parents are going to pay for it - in higher taxes as well as ruined Saturdays". Moreover, because Bacon works six days a week, getting her son from home to school is quite an effort, that she does not want to make on Saturday morning.
Also, Lisa Gallagher, one of the students of Portsmouth High School that attended the meeting, is against the proposal. "I don't like this idea. I think it's just being done to make life easier for the faculty." Moreover Gallagher, who has never been in detention herself, wonders about what is done about students that are just not showing up for their Saturday session.
Steele explained that when a student skips a Saturday session, he or she will not be allowed in class until their detention has been served.
Resident Bob Farley of 64 Elm St. likes the idea of Satuday school. It's time that parents in America were made to take a little responsibility for their kids." He argues that parents "are not teaching their kids any discipline". Farley is of the opinion that children will wisen up if they have to miss "a few Saturday morning cartoons".
After this discussion, the board voted 5-3 to table the issue until its next meeting on March 7, during which Steele will present figures on in-school detention so far this year.
No more sleeping in on Saturday mornings for misbehaving schoolchildren in Portsmouth - and their parents.
This will be the case if Tim Steele of the School Board of Portsmouth gets his way.
The Boards' proposal was to discipline misbehaving children during a Saturday morning session from 8.00 a.m. to 12 p.m., instead of punishing them during weekdays. This measure, intended to lower the amount of people breaking school rules, will cost the community $3,000 per year for staffing.
This measure is intended to lower the amount of class time children miss when serving ' in-house suspension' , which means that they are punished during a weekday by having to sit in an empty classroom all day under close supervision of a faculty member.
Last year, 154 students missed at least one day of class each because of their punishment, which they are not allowed to make up for during this time. In-house detention is automatically given to students who are caught smoking in- or outside of Portsmouth High School.
The proposal was met with fierce opposition, such as the reaction of Peggy Bacon, a parent of a Portsmouth High School student: "I just don't think it's going to make any difference, and the parents are going to pay for it - in higher taxes as well as ruined Saturdays". Moreover, because Bacon works six days a week, getting her son from home to school is quite an effort, that she does not want to make on Saturday morning.
Also, Lisa Gallagher, one of the students of Portsmouth High School that attended the meeting, is against the proposal. "I don't like this idea. I think it's just being done to make life easier for the faculty." Moreover Gallagher, who has never been in detention herself, wonders about what is done about students that are just not showing up for their Saturday session.
Steele explained that when a student skips a Saturday session, he or she will not be allowed in class until their detention has been served.
Resident Bob Farley of 64 Elm St. likes the idea of Satuday school. It's time that parents in America were made to take a little responsibility for their kids." He argues that parents "are not teaching their kids any discipline". Farley is of the opinion that children will wisen up if they have to miss "a few Saturday morning cartoons".
After this discussion, the board voted 5-3 to table the issue until its next meeting on March 7, during which Steele will present figures on in-school detention so far this year.
dinsdag 4 oktober 2011
NYT Reading Log Monday 3 Oct and Tuesday 4 Oct
Monday, Oct 3:
I liked the front-page story on migrant workers from Mexico that keep on coming back when they are 'deported' (what a terrible word!) back to Mexico after they have built a life in the US. Because they have got their families and friends in the US, their incentive to return is massive despite the stricter border patrols. The delayed lede was well done, with a nutgraf in the third paragraph.
The discussion about increasing taxes, and if yes, what taxes, that has been going on in the US at least since the reach of the debt ceiling in August, is well described in the article that is continued on page A2. People that make the laws, are also the ones that pay many taxes because of their resulting income. The complex political loyalty system in the US causes many odd exceptions and loopholes in tax law. The fact that this article highlights the latter I think causes a good deal of discussion.
The very personal story of the retiring firefighter Longanecker is in my opinion too non-relevant to cover an entire page of news with several colour photographs.
Tuesday Oct. 4:
The first thing that strikes is the spelling mistake on the front page: 'Foreign Aid Faces Major Cutbacks in Budget Crisis - Both Parties Raise Ax.' Assuming 'Ax' should be 'Tax', we would have a very interesting story if this mistake was corrected as 'Axe' :) The front page story about hormonal contraceptives increasing the risk of contracting HIV is very very newsworthy, for as it says 'about 140 million women worldwide use hormonal contraception'. Therefore, very relevant. I loved the article on Scots refusing to let pay Scottish inhabitants university tuition fee, where the English have to pay up to $56,000 for a four-year degree. I have been to Scotland and this is a very typical thing to do. I also like the buildup of the story, with a delayed lede, via the Crown Prince and his wife, to the outraged English.
I liked the front-page story on migrant workers from Mexico that keep on coming back when they are 'deported' (what a terrible word!) back to Mexico after they have built a life in the US. Because they have got their families and friends in the US, their incentive to return is massive despite the stricter border patrols. The delayed lede was well done, with a nutgraf in the third paragraph.
The discussion about increasing taxes, and if yes, what taxes, that has been going on in the US at least since the reach of the debt ceiling in August, is well described in the article that is continued on page A2. People that make the laws, are also the ones that pay many taxes because of their resulting income. The complex political loyalty system in the US causes many odd exceptions and loopholes in tax law. The fact that this article highlights the latter I think causes a good deal of discussion.
The very personal story of the retiring firefighter Longanecker is in my opinion too non-relevant to cover an entire page of news with several colour photographs.
Tuesday Oct. 4:
The first thing that strikes is the spelling mistake on the front page: 'Foreign Aid Faces Major Cutbacks in Budget Crisis - Both Parties Raise Ax.' Assuming 'Ax' should be 'Tax', we would have a very interesting story if this mistake was corrected as 'Axe' :) The front page story about hormonal contraceptives increasing the risk of contracting HIV is very very newsworthy, for as it says 'about 140 million women worldwide use hormonal contraception'. Therefore, very relevant. I loved the article on Scots refusing to let pay Scottish inhabitants university tuition fee, where the English have to pay up to $56,000 for a four-year degree. I have been to Scotland and this is a very typical thing to do. I also like the buildup of the story, with a delayed lede, via the Crown Prince and his wife, to the outraged English.
maandag 3 oktober 2011
Scent of a Woman - Speech story summary lede
Frank Slade, a retired Army Ranger lieutenant colonel, provided a passionate defense for highschool student Charlie Simms, when the latter was subject to a formal inquiry of his prep school disciplinary commission last Thursday.
Slade harshly criticized the proceedings at the meeting, and displayed his views on character and honesty. "If I were five years younger, I'd have brought a flamethrower into this place!"
Slade harshly criticized the proceedings at the meeting, and displayed his views on character and honesty. "If I were five years younger, I'd have brought a flamethrower into this place!"
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