Stephanie+U-P

[] 2/19/10 //"Girl's arrest for doodling raises concern about zero tolerance"// Stephanie Chen Education A simple doodle saying, “I love my friends Abby and Faith. Lex was here 2/1/10:)”was what Alexa Gonzalez was arrested for doodling on her desk. The principal of her Junior High School in Forest Hills, New York, decide that detention wasn't enough punishment for her doodle. Alexa was hand cuffed in front of her teachers and classmates. She describes the situation as embarrassing and “they put the handcuffs on me, and I couldn't believe it. I didn't want want them to see me handcuffed, thinking I'm a bad person.” School officials with the help of the police are taking more action the zero tolerance law. This same incident happen to 13- year-old, Chelsea Fraser, she was also arrested for writing “Okay” on her desk. The Strategy Center has found out that the police have issued about 12,000 tickets because of the zero tolerance law. This tickets have brought students to the juvenile court system with fines up to $250 each. The Strategy disagreed with the system, “The theory is that if we fine them, then they won't be late again. But they just end up not going to school at all.” Statistics have stated that the more time an expelled student spend away from school have the more likely chance of drop out of school and end up in the criminal justice system. Alexa was end up suspended for three days, and it was challenge for her to catch up on her school work. Steven Teske, a juvenile court judge, said “there is zero intelligence, when you start applying zero tolerance across the board. Stupid and ridiculous things start happening.”

That's ridiculous. School officials are being way to strict on the students with the zero tolerance law. This is getting out of hands because students younger than twelve years old are being arrested for very small crimes that are not a major deal. I think police should not be so strict with things like writing on desks. Parents and teachers are opposed the zero tolerance because it does not show a good presentation for other students. The author bias of the article was to inform about the action that police are taking with the zero tolerance law. This article will be important in the near.

[] 2/12/10 //"Snow bring cities across the South to standstill"// Dan Gilgoff Science

In much of the South part of the United States, schools and workplaces have closed down due to the winter storm that hit. On Thursday, Texas was hit with a record of 12.5 inches of snow in the Dallas-Fort worth area. Other areas like parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia have been hit with the storm too. Residents of these area were surprised and shocked that it would snow that much in the deep South. “The conditions could be dangerous and the likelihood of power outages was great. Authorities were encouraging people to prepare for the possibility of losing electricity,” said Yasamie Richardson from the Alabama Emergency Management. More than 800 flights at the Delta Air Lines were canceled in the Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Today the snow should start to melt with the warmer temperature like in the 40s in Texas. With this large amount of snow more gravel trucks are need for the highways and roadways across the nation. The National Weather Service did state that on Friday there would be a light chance of more snow in the afternoon. The Northeast part of the nation has been hit with a blizzards and strong storm over the past week. Some areas in the Northeast got more than 30 inches of snow. In Washington at the Dulles International Airport have set the record of the most snowfall with 72 inches.

Wow! Who doesn't love a good snow of no school or work. In South part of the nation, like Texas this much snow rarely happens here. I think it's awesome because usually the South just gets hot, humid, sunny weather, but now we got snow to have fun in. Other parts of nation are also effect by this winter storm with blizzards and power shortages. People were surprised with this recorded snow in Texas, but its not going to last long. Weather stations reported that it should start to melt this Friday, and temperature should finally warm up in the 40s. The author bias is to inform us about the winter storm in the South and across the nation. This article should be important in the near.

[] 2/4/10 //"Concussions extra dangerous to teen brains"// Stephanie Smith Health

Max Conradt was a defensive linemen for his high school football until one game changed the rest of his life. He was playing during a football and was taking serious hits by the another team. He started to stumble and stagger around the field, but he kept playing. After the game, he limped off to the sideline. His stepmother, Joy Condrat said, “He looked at me and said my chin hurts. I started to respond and he collapsed. I was absolutely nauseatingly sick with fear.” The reason why Max collapsed was because he had suffered from many concussions over the course of two weeks and blood was pooling in his brain dangerously. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics states that four million sports related concussions happen every year. School districts haven't established any rules treating concussion and many coaches aren't trained on how to respond to them. Max went through three dangerous surgeries to stop the swelling in his brain. Eight years has passed by since that day he was released for the hospital. Max now lives in a assisted living facility and he struggles with memory loss, rage, and depression. This same incidents has happen to many football players in America. Ryne Dougherty, a 16-year-old junior, was an linebacker on his New Jersey team. He died after having two concussions during weeks.

Wow. This makes me very aware while sports because this can happen to anyone and anytime. Every single day kids are playing sports like football and being tackled down all the time. They don't realized that each tackle can effect their brain and destroy it. It's tragic that Max Condrat life has dramatic changed after just one football game that he plays all the time. He has now lost his memory and suffers from depression. I think they should really pass a law stating that schools and coaches should study and learn about concussions. This will help every child while playing sports and there would be less concern on the issue. The author bias of the story is informative to people about the concerns of having concussion while playing sports. The article is important to near and distant.

[] 1/29/10 //Print media hail iPad's potenial// Mallory Simon Technology

On Wednesday, Apple unrevealed the iPad, the latest computer. The iPad comes with wireless device, shows text, photos, and graphic in high resolution. Apple also wants to have an online bookstore open for iPad customers, it relates to iTunes for the iPods. The president of Conde Nast Digital, Sarah Chubb said, “I think it's a game-changer for us...because of the ability to consume content and consume so much of it all in one place.” People are always hoping that the iPad will help increase the print-media industry like iTunes help the music industry. Apple wants the iPad to be a revolution to technology because now people are willing to pay for music, videos, and books online. Magazine and newspaper businesses have rapidly decreased sales over the years and in return people have gradually moved to using the Web more often. The online advertising have not help either with the lost of print and revenue. Some people aren't excited about the iPad, like a columnist at the State, Jack Shafer, he cited the new applications on the iPad. He said, “It's all about what the consumer wants-- and the iPad answers a problem consumers don't have.” Some consumers, like Jacqui Cheng says, “I'm not sure how I feel about being on the iPad and reading, because then I'm too connected.” Apple didn't announce the price or models of the new gadget on Wednesday.

Wow. Apple never stops coming up with new ideas to revolutionize technology. The iPad sounds like a really cool computer, and it seems like a bigger version of the iPod or iPhone. I don't think I would purchase an iPad because I already have a iPhone. I would rather get one of Apple many other computers they have. I don't really think consumers are going to enjoy this new gadget as much as the iPod. The price of the iPad seems that's it going to cost a lot of money, it definitely wouldn't come cheap. Especially when Apple said they are going to add new applications, like the online bookstores, to the iPad. This new gadget would effect the way people will think about the technology as technology grows over the years. The author bias of this article wants to inform us about the iPad that's was unrevealed on Wednesday. The article is important in the near and distant future.

[] 1/22/10 //Aid groups urge halt to new Haiti adoptions// Central America

Many aid groups are trying to directly stop any new Haitian children for being adopted after the massive earthquake. The reason why some many aid groups are trying to prevent new adoptions is because they are trying to focus on finding lost family members and reuniting children with families. Save the Children, World Vision, and a part of the British Red Cross agree with this idea. Having new adoptions may cause breaking up families, and making children danger to intellectual emotions. Jasmine Whitbread, the Chief Executive of Save the Children stated, '“Taking children out of the country would permanently separate thousands of children from their families – a separation that would compound the acute trauma they are already suffering and inflict long-term damage on their chances of recovery.”' The aid groups are not only considered with the children safety, but always what effect it will have if they adopt without reuniting with families members. They also said if any adoptions that happen before the huge earthquake on January 21, then you can still go through with the adoptions. The International Committee of the Red Cross or ICRC has even created an website where people can search for love ones. If you want to help the Haitian children then donate to the aid supports who are helping children reunite families together.

I agree with the aid groups even though they are stopping adoptions right after the massive earthquake. They are trying to help those children that are looking for their families members. It's a tragic that so many people are seperate from their love ones ecspecially children. Right now, people had no idea were everyone is, or if they are dead or alive. So aid groups are trying to reduce that number by helping reunited people together. I know it will be a tough job finding everyone, but it will make a difference. The author's bias of this article is to inform people about the hold on adoptions right now in Haiti. I think this article will be important in the near because it is effect people every day because adoption agencies have to put a hold on new adoptions.