Category: Journalism

Has Donald Trump Finally Outdone Himself?

Christian Floyd on

Donald Trump.

Need I say more?

Arrogant. Untrustworthy. All-around a guy you wouldn’t want anything to do with.

So why should we vote for him? His claims are outrageous and simply undoable.

But I’m not here to lecture on politics.

Trump started off his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists. But, he’s sure “some of them are ‘good people.'” Since then, he has offended essentially every other race and religion other than Buddhists! His little stunts have, over time, gotten worse and worse and more and more offensive. Has he finally outdone himself?

According to CNN news, Trump has finally reached his “Daffy Duck Moment” or a moment where he’ll have to do something really drastic and desperate to pull himself further in the polls.

What do you think?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/22/opinions/obeidallah-trumps-daffy-duck-moment/index.html

Forget the Desk and Go With the Future of the Workplace

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When you think of the usual, boring work space, you probably think of, well, the usual, boring workspace. With a drab colored surface with an old chair that had cushions some 20 years ago and a computer on top of a desk that can only fit so much. You may be tired because you were nervous about today’s board meeting with the boss and want to take a cat nap, but can’t.

Enter Altwork Station. Capable of leaning back far enough to take that cat nap, this desk is anything but boring.

With clamps that hold onto your laptop and papers, the surface leans back with you.

Image from article.

The leg rest rolls up when in chair mode so it’s not in the way, and folds out when the chair is horizontal.

This helps people think of the workplace as a fun and more relaxed and possibly enjoyable and (according to research) can also lead to a longer life expectancy when compared to the usual desk and chair.

The official price is expected to be set at around $5,900.

Titcomb, James. “Forget Standing Desks: This Office Workstation Lets You Work Lying down.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 29 Oct. 2015. Web.

The iPad Pro Could be Your New Laptop

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For all who have heard about the new iPad Pro that is the “largest iPad ever” and for some more green, can also get an Apple Stylus, I bet you’re wondering if it’d be worth it. I myself would say yes, as I think it could honestly replace your laptop.

While I believe it might be a bit big for an iPad, it’ll definitely be fun for gaming. All 12.9 inches of it.

With a 10 hour battery life, and the smart keyboard, it will also be great for business. Only weighing in at 1.57 pounds and at a thickness of 6.9 millimeters, it will fit in a briefcase easily, and won’t weigh you down.

All in all, the iPad Pro will be larger, faster, smarter, and more apt for life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/11857092/Will-the-iPad-Pro-be-the-end-of-your-laptop.html

A Smaller iPhone 7 Might Become a Reality in 2016

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According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is often correct with his Apple predictions, Apple will release a 4-inch iPhone 7 for people who think the iPhone 6(s) is too large. iphone four inch screen

Image from article.

It will be the same size as the iPhone 5s, but will be as wide as the iPhone 6. Kuo predicts it will have the newest A9 chip, but will not have the same capabilities as the 6s (3-D Touch).

The iPhone would also be encased in metal as did the iPhone 6(s).

Goldman, David. “IPhone 7?: This Could Be the next IPhone.” CNNMoney. CNN, 5 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Nov. 2015. <http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/04/technology/apple-four-inch-iphone/index.html?iid=obinsite>.

A World Flight Against Climate Change

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Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg are flying around the world to spread the word about climate change and the danger it imposes.

Now, you might be thinking: “Hold your horses kid! Don’t airplanes make CO2 and make all of this be “situational irony?”” Well now, I’m thinking: “Thanks Mrs. Wiersig (PreAP English teacher who expounds upon the topic of irony)! But you’re wrong. They’re flying the Solar Impulse 2 that’s wingspan is wider than a Boeing 747’s and is powered solely by solar panels (17,000 solar cells to be exact) that cover the structure of it. During the day, the panels power the plane but also charge two lithium ion batteries that fly the craft at night.

“You fly with no fuel, you have clean technology that make the airplane so efficient,” Piccard said, “that only the Sun is enough to keep it airborne day and night.”

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/06/02/solar-impulse-2-plane-bertrand-piccard-orig.cnn/video/playlists/the-world-of-technology/

Post-Apocalyptic Vault

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When you think about a Post-Apocalyptic vault, you might think, “Oh, it’s full of supplies for after a giant world catastrophe or something like that,” and you’re right. But not how you think. What is the thing that a World War harms most other than a body count? The land. And what do we lose with the land? Farms. What do we lose with the farms? Food, animals, etc. What is the thing that raises all other things at a farm? Seeds. Seeds make corn. Corn feeds pigs. Pigs make bacon. Bacon is life (duh! 🙂 ). Thus, seeds make life. (Ugh. Transitive Property!)

Hidden inside a mountain in Svalbard, Norway, this vault holds seeds, and our future.

Damon, Arwa, and Gul Tuysuz. “After the Apocalypse: Inside the Arctic Vault That Could Help Keep Humanity Alive.” CNN, 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 27 Oct. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/23/europe/after-apocalypse-doomsday-seed-bank-svalbard/index.html>.

Humans of New York

Christian Floyd on

So, in my Journalism I class, we have been looking for a favorite story from the HONY (Humans of New York) website and I haven’t found my favorite, I found many favorites. Unfortunately, because of the amount I have found, I’ve weeded the “lesser” ones out and given you the best. 🙂 (The story behind the website is here.)

Here they are!

Vietnam

Haters

Marathons

Dinosaur Face

Yeti

Teacher

Cleanest Bathroom in NY

Computer Rentals (Practice Writing- Not A Real Story)

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   After a hacker breached the high school’s computer server taking important data with them, the school board will be holding a meeting over renting four Macintosh computers for the school’s journalism staff to finish the yearbook by the due date and “Yearbook Day.”

   For 22 years, the school has sponsored “Yearbook Day” which is a senior yearbook signing party. All seniors are released from class at noon to pick up their yearbooks and report to the gym for the party. Lunch and games are provided.

   “We have to get our yearbooks before school is out. Yearbook day Day is one of the highlights of senior year.” Senior, Reggie White said, “It would be weird for my friends to sign my book before I went to college.”

   White ends with saying that “Yearbook Day is more popular that prom,” and she will leaving state for college the week before school gets out, so if the yearbooks arrive late, she will not be able to make it to Yearbook Day and have her friends sign her book.

   “This year, we pushed our yearbook deadline back as far as we could to add more coverage to the book.” Junior, and yearbook editor, Alexis Zavia said, “Our yearbook representative warned us if we didn’t make the deadline, the chances of the book arriving before summer break were slim.”

   Yearbook Day is a very important tradition that should continue for years to come, but only if the journalism department gets the Macs.

   “Even if the the yearbook company cut us a break, we would not risk getting the book back before school ended.” Yearbook Adviser, Rodney Stephens said, “That would essentially kill an important tradition at the school.”

Singing Assistant Principal Brightens Everyone’s Morning

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Assistant Principal Gary Logan will be seen every weekday morning singing and dancing in front of Woodrow Elementary in Conway, Arkansas trying to brighten the student’s mornings a little bit more.

He says the students even request songs for him to play and dance and sing to- Watch Me (by Silencio), Let it Go (from the movie Frozen), ect.

“They had a rough morning, they didn’t get to eat their breakfast, so we try to make them smile and make them laugh,” Logan said.

I am personally glad to see some people only see the positive side to life and try to make others see the same way. I wish a certain Assistant Principal at my school sang (or maybe not?) and danced in front of the school every morning. It would sure make a lot of people laugh, that’s for sure. I think it is a great thing for people to try to make other’s lives brighter and happier.

 

“Assistant Principal Greets Students with Singing, Dancing Every Morning.”Student News Daily Assistant Principal Greets Students with Singing Dancing Every Morning Comments. Student News Daily, 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.

North Dakota Legalizes Armed Drones for Their Police Force

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Imagine being chased by the police. You think you’re in the clear, when you hear a loud buzzing in the air around you. You don’t know which way it’s coming from. Then he feel a shock run down your spine when you realize it’s a drone with a camera. And then you literally feel a shock when the Taser hits you.

House Bill 1328 gives police agencies the right to arm drones with less than legal weapons such as tasers, pepper spray, and tear gas. North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple, signed the bill into law.

The bill was originally going to be used place limits on drones, but then certain amendments were made, and here we are.

“I hear a lot of ideas about drones, this one is the worst,” said University of Washington law professor Ryan Calo.

I personally think this law is going to be good for the law-enforcement, but horrible for criminals.

It could also be horrible for liability. If the system has one glitch, it could mean many lawsuits and major cash loss for the North Dakota government.

It doesn’t really affect me because this is in North Dakota, but if the Bill makes it to Texas, things would be forever changed.

So until then, if you’re a criminal, you won’t have to worry about getting pepper sprayed by a drone if you stay far away from North Dakota.

Jennings, Daniel. “This State Just Legalized ARMED Drones For Police.” Off The Grid News. N.p., 24 Sept. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.