Profile Final: Jo “The Little Things” Becker.
Posted on December 13, 2019 ·
Mega City Mall Experiences Mega Explosion.
Posted on December 5, 2019 ·
A Thursday at Mega City Mall went on with its normal work day just like any other day. Various people come to get shopping lists done, enjoy the food court or make a paycheck.
That suddenly was disrupted by an explosion in the food court not long after the was opened and customers were in the building.
Reports from the scene sent by early responders reveal that initial injury numbers resulting from the explosion were less than 100. Medical reports have been received by both St. Mercy and Jean-Luc hospitals, treating injuries consisting of fire and smoke inhalation.
Two fatalities have been reported from the explosion.
The Mega City Police Department has established a special team of investigators that will work alongside federal law enforcement agencies.
Captain Fuglsang reports the investigation is still ongoing at this time, the special units are still trying to clear the scene for a thorough investigation.
The aftermath and reactions to the disruption is being looked at more closely than just an “accident.”
Bell Taco worker Okan, thinks other wise. “I was just preparing some tacos when I heard the sharp noise and saw the explosion. When I saw it, I knew it wasn’t just anything accidental, I assume a bomb went off.”
Fuglsang reports that there is no evidence of any initial threat to the Mall and its environments. The captain did not seem confident in knowing how long the investigation will deliver any answers or crucial information on anything when asked by reporters.
With these casualties vs the number of the people who did survive the experience, was this accident really unintentional? Or was it failed quest to sabotage the public?
Profile Rough Draft
Posted on December 3, 2019 ·
She was just a simple girl from Little Rock, Josephine Becker was as average they came… according to her. Yet she was anything but average.
Jo took time on perfecting the little things, that’s what made the 5’4 blonde bombshell stand out. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas had her life switched up at age 17 when her parents decided to move to Santa Barbara, California.
She was taken away during an important event in her life that would lead onto a future path. An avid basketball star, Jo was planning on committing to the University of Arkansas early as a junior, finish her senior year and attend the university.
^insert quote^
Her test scores were all laid out, playing time, stat requirements, meetings, practices, all of it was on her to do list to be able to play division 1 basketball. It all ended in smoke, her plans fell through due to the transferring hassle and the stress of the move on her goals.
She had to start over.
Moving to a new state in the middle of your Junior year can be shell shocking for sure. As bitterly as she described how much the move at the time stunk, her eyes couldn’t help but shine when she spoke of California.
^insert quote^
Louis’ eyes drew her in as the sea did. He was young and fresh, the typical surf-rat. His clock in time for work was 8 to 5 on that beach.
Jo met Louis and his four friends her first day in the neighborhood.
^insert quote “I can’t explain what made me think I needed to go to the beach when there were boxes in my room that needed to be unpacked. Plus my parents were super, super strict so I don’t know how they let me go either. ”
Yet she went, letting the waves talk her into coming closer, the sand sucking her in deeper into paradise. She made a friend at the local snack shack, Lizzie. Her first friend but certainly not her last.
Lizzie pointed out all the spots to see on the beach and all the right waves to catch. Jo scoffed at the idea of her being able to surf, but all it took was one go and she blew people away.
^insert quote “From that point on I knew I loved surfing. Basketball was my ticket out but the way I cold move with the waves totally changed me as a person. It made me realize I could meet anything new head on.”
When the couple finally met on the beach that day it was less than romantic. Jo gave a stiff punch to Louis’ jaw for him being a creeper with his four friends.
After that day she got to know the five boys better. Stepping on a shard of glass and cutting her foot, the five helped her back to her house.
“They were annoying at the very beginning, but when I got hurt that same day those five idiots showed me the different sides of them that I’ve kept around to this day. That day we became friends.”
Jo and Louis didn’t get together until he end of Jo’s senior year at the University of Tennessee. Before that time, Jo went through horrible relationship with Nathan, one of the five friends.
They ended in lies and betrayal that costed Jo a lot of her freedom from her parents, and took a toll on her body; borderline abuse.
Getting out as she planned, signing to play for the Volunteers instead, Jo understood herself better. She kept in contact with Louis after her disappearance from Santa Barbara and started new again but this time as an adult.
^instert quote “It was Louis all along. He was always the one I wanted to talk to, to see. When I was upset I went running to him, I don’t know why. It wasn’t until I hugged him for the first time in 5 years I felt the final click to what I’ve been missing. I was missing him.”
News Release: Cause of Death to Beloved Polar Bear is a Mystery.
Posted on December 3, 2019 ·
Homer, a 16 year old polar bear at the Midland Zoo was found dead in the polar bear exhibit just an hour after his 7 a.m. feeding. Zookeeper Sarah Getty, found Homer floating in the pool.
The other two polar bears were removed from the exhibit and are currently being monitored by the veterinary staff. Homer was the oldest bear in the exhibit compared to 9 year old Yukon and 10 year old female McKenzie.
Homer is the 3rd animal to have passed away in a span of four weeks. Regina the bobcat died of renal failure last week, and Kenya the giraffe broke her neck by her horns being caught in her stall two weeks prior.
Zoo Director Chris Bacon expresses his concern of the recent tragedy in the habitat. “We will do everything in our power to determine how this bear died. Animal welfare and the preservation of species are our primary goals here at the zoo.”
Bacon confirms that the two other animals who died this month are unrelated to the death of Homer the polar bear.
The polar bear habitat has thrived at the Midland Zoo since 1985, allowing the bears to engage in their natural behaviors, playing in manufactured snow, and hunting trout in the chilled pool. The bears are ambassadors educating the guests who come in to learn about their lives and what makes them endangered.
Anecdote
Posted on November 29, 2019 ·
It’s the little things when it comes to Josephine Becker. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas had her life switched up at age 17 when her parents decided to move to Santa Barbara, California.
“It was one of the worst experiences of my life at the time.” She explained, readjusting her short blonde hair compared to her medium length hair she had when she was a teenager.
Josephine–or Jo to the world w played basketball on elite select teams growing up, she wanted to play for the University of Arkansas before the move.
Her test scores were all laid out, playing time, stat requirements, meetings, practices, all of it was on her to do list to be able to play division 1 basketball for her home state. She ended up not living out her plans due to the transferring and the stress of the move on her goals.
Her eyes shine when she speaks of California, how that particular house and the beach only a few hundred yards away brought her to her current husband, Louis.
When they met on the beach it wasn’t love at first sight, in fact, Jo gave him a stiff punch on the jaw. The reason being, Louis’ friend group at the time were being “creeps” and purposefully annoying Jo and her friend just to cause them “sexual tension.”
“They were annoying at the very beginning, but when I got hurt that same day those five idiots showed me the different sides of them that I’ve kept around to this day. That day we became friends.”
Her story is one people ought to get to know, it’s cute, touching and life changing.
News Comment #14: “Ohio High School Plans to Drug-Test All Students at Least Once a Year.”
Posted on November 22, 2019 ·
Administrators at Stephen T. Badin High School in Hamilton, Ohio announces plans to testing its students for drugs and nicotine in an effort discourage drug use and vaping.
In a letter to parents this week, the drug-testing program that has been an undergoing project in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will begin in January 2020. Students will be tested at least once a year for illicit drugs, alcohol, nicotine and other banned substances.
Students are required to consent to the test as a condition of their enrollment for the school. The potential consequences for violating the drug policy include suspension and expulsion.
I really liked the idea of this article and it was well written. The pyramid criteria I feel was met for the most part. Towards the end it mentioned how many students would need to be tested at the school, 622 students. I feel that should be more at the top with the enrollment paragraph.
News Comment #13: “The Llama as Therapist.”
Posted on November 14, 2019 ·
In Stockdale, Texas a 300-pound llama strolls through the corridors of the local nursing home, lowering its heads to be petted by residents in wheelchairs and pausing patiently to take selfies.
Tic, a white male llama owned by Zoe Rutledge is one of 13 llamas owned by the Rutledge family. Tic and two other members his herd have passed the qualifying exam necessary to become registered therapy llamas. It’s a test that involves being touched by strangers and remaining impassive when people nearby start arguing.
Zoe and her family chose the animals they take to assisted living facilities, nursing and veterans’ homes, rehabilitation centers and walk-a-thons for groups like the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas.
I liked the creativity of this story but the organization is all wrong. It gave no background to the owner and the family, and the other facilities they go to. The important facts that piece the story together are all at the bottom when it should the top with the leads.
Description
Posted on November 14, 2019 ·
I walked into Intro to Dance late this morning, I signed my name on the attendance sheet then proceeded to sit in my usual spot. My spot is the wall to the right hand side of the class room where I sit next to Sabrina Creason. Sabrina is a sophomore who plays setter on the volleyball team. We’ve sat next to each other in this class since the beginning of the semester.
The class was pointless like normal so Sabrina and I walked back to the Poppen Apartments together since we both lived in the same complex. I waited for for Sabrina to put on her white and gray north face coat, then she proceeded to pull her light brown hair out of the hood so it could fall below her shoulders.
Our walk was short but cold. Sabrina mentioned how this weekend football game should be fun.
“It should be a closer game since Northwestern isn’t terrible. Maybe we’ll win by 30 instead of 60.” She laughed carefree.
We walked in step wearing similar clothing, leggings and coats. Yet Sabrina chose to wear white boots made from Sperry. Interesting since there wasn’t snow on the ground you could never be too sure with this Iowa weather.
As we got to the door she took out her flowered lanyard and we went inside. When she said goodbye I noticed her voice sounded stuffy, like she’s been fighting a cold. The inside lighting brought my attention to how pale her skin was out I the cold weather, brightening her brown eyes.
Story #3 Final
Posted on November 13, 2019 ·
Good evening and welcome to tonight’s Morningside student podcast; sponsored by Oreos, “Milks favorite cookie.
The traditional Thanksgiving season has begun and the war on turkey’s has just been declared in Omaha, Nebraska. The annual Turkey War is a competition between two neighbors who live near Willow Creek Drive and Borman Street, it’s consisted of inflatable turkeys in their front yards.
You’ll find 40 inflatable turkeys decorating the two lawns this time of the year. Native of Omaha, Katherine Wurtz, a Sophomore here at Morningside, gave the low down on the Turkey War.
“It’s funny to see because turkey’s cover their whole yard! All the grass is covered when it hits November first.”
Each yard is equipped with 20 sitting turkey’s including one six-foot-tall inflatable in the back.
In the end, it’s said the winner gets bragging rights until the next year when the cycle starts over again.
Our second story is brought to you by Kleenex, Ultra Soft.
Do you use the app TikTok? Or know some who watches or creates them?
TikTok has been growing more popular among U.S. teenagers at a time of growing tensions between the United States and China over trade and technology transfers. According to the creators of TikTok, sixty percent of its 26.5 million active users a month in the United States are between the ages of 16 and 24.
Reason for the investigation into the app, is that the government is concerned if the Chinese company may be censoring politically sensitive content. There is also alarming concern about how TikTok stores a users personal data.
Josie Baxter, also a sophomore here at M’side, is an avid TikTok viewer. When asked what she thinks about the hacking rumors and her personal information. Her answer was simple, “I don’t think an app used by eight through 22 year olds can be trying to hack the government when half of the users don’t know what’s going on politically anyway.”
TikTok says China does not have jurisdiction over content of the app, and promises U.S. user data is stored in the United States only. Leaving no room for Chinese censorship over the app.
Our last story for our podcast tonight is sponsored by Goldfish, “The snack that smiles back.”
‘Tis the season to officially hang up lights and enjoy an Eggnog Latte: kiss the pumpkin spice goodbye and reel in the signature Starbucks Red Holliday Cups.
This Thursday the international coffee chain makes its transition from fall flavors to focusing on Peppermint Mochas and Hot Chocolate. The Holliday season isn’t here unless the new Red Cups come inside.
Madisyn Heeren, a Starbucks addict here at Morningside is one of the many ones excited for the Red Cup Holliday Season to begin. “This is the best time of the year because it’s officially time for Christmas!”
Four different Holliday designs will be introduced this year, including classic red, white and green patterns, making the cup look almost like a present. Each cup has its own name for a signature twist on your order.
The official names of the four cups are Polka Dots, Merry Dance, Merry Stripes and Candy Cane Stripes.
The countdown to red cup season has been an anticipating event on the web as customers watch the hours dwindle down.
That’s all for tonight’s podcast stories brought to by the previous sponsors. Thank you all for listening and have a good evening.
News Comment #15: “Why the Great Auk Is Gone for Good.”
Not so long ago, the northern seas were full of great auks–the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus.
Every summer, millions of the goose-sized birds would gather at different breeding grounds across the North Atlantic. The flightless birds were easy to capture, and passing sailors. French explorers in 1534 wrote how they loved how the birds tasted.
Just three centuries later, the species had become famous for its scarcity instead. Museums and merchants started paying top dollar for great auk eggs and skins. In 1844, members of a small expedition found two of the birds on an Icelandic island, strangled them and crushed their only egg.
That was the last confirmed sighting. In this way, the great auk went extinct.
The birds were gone before we could learn very much about them. New researches points the Balme more squarely at us, the humans.
This was a very sad article to read about, I didn’t know that species of penguin existed and now I’ll actually never know about them because they’re gone. This article could have used more interesting information, like what kind of bird they were and how they were used of the centuries, and how they lived in their temporary habitat.