Archive for March, 2010

Web Package: Matthew Harrison

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

The front page of the Washington Post the had an article called, “A letter to Obama, and A Life Touched in Return” which caught my eyes as a feature news story.  The article first starts out by describing the “black  binder of letters” President Barack Obama reads every night. Obama’s aids say, “They are the most intimate connection the president has with the people he governs.” The article is trying to get the reader to feel sympathetic even before the first quote. After some more impressive information about the amount of mail the president receives the author dives into the most important information. Jennifer Cline, 27, is the main star of the article, and the reader is given background information that is “similar”  to Obama. For the reader the article seems to be stretched out on the fact that Obama reads and responses to letters he gets in the mail. With the obvious layout of the paper, the author describes the heart wrenching and agonizing pain this poor women went through after loosing her job. The author then goes on to explain the importance of health care in America and how Obama saved the oppressed over the tyrant we call “Insurance Companies.” The article ends like every other chick flick movie, or fairy tail ending, someone gets their dreams to come true. Although this article descried heart wrenching pain, and tyrant insurance companies, the news factor or even importance factor did not really hit home with me. Maybe a different spin or maybe even a different story outline could have made this article more appealing to the reader, but for me, I just keep flipping threw the paper.

The Article did have related links, a photo gallery of Jennifer, and a comment box for readers.

If you wish to read the article it is located at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/30/AR2010033004260_4.html?nav=hcmodule&sid=ST2010033004292

Revised Midterm Lead and Graf: Matthew Harrison

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Lead:

Two men attempted to rob Ms. Delia Moss, an 83-year-old resident of Fairfax, Va., using a gun outside of McDonald’s on 3951 Pickett Road yesterday at 4 p.m.

2nd Graf:

Josh Auerbach, a 40-year-old resident of Annandale Va., pointed the gun at Moss, while the other man, still unknown, went for her purse.

Questions:

1. How did she defend herself during the attack?

2. Did anyone try and help her when she was being attacked.

3. How come no one from McDonald’s saw this crime being committed?

4. Is Delia Moss taking self defense classes?

5. In the information given, why did Delia Moss decide to eat a Big Mac after the attempted robbery?