Maddie’s Blog

The story I found was about a 12 year old girl who helped her mom deliver a baby at home.  I thought it was an interesting story, and it had a happy ending.  I feel the broadcast does a decent job of telling the story.  It has a lot of images and enhance the story and even incorporates audio from the 911 call that makes the viewer feel like he/she was there.  The interview with the paramedic also makes the story more believable too.  The images of the baby as happy and healthy can also draw in the viewer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33533905#33491577

I feel the print version does a good job of telling the story.  However, it does not match the video.  I would much rather watch the video because all of the images and audio makes the story seem more real.  In print form the story seems kind of bland.  In addition, the print version does not quite capture the appreciation and love that the family feels for each other.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33486441/ns/local_news-spokane_wa/

In Delaware, a six year old boy was recently suspended for bringing a weapon to school.  Apparently the weapon was a Swiss army knife he had received in cub scouts and planned to eat with the knife, not use it violently.  However, according to the school’s no tolerance policy, the boy is suspended and must attend a reform school for 45 days.   The boy’s parents and some school officials want to change this policy and take back the sentence since the child did not have a violent intent with the knife.  This issue is causing a large amount of controversy and forcing the school officials to rethink their zero tolerance policy.

This article makes me sad.  I feel sorry for the little boy who obviously did not want to use the knife for harm.  He simply wanted to play with his new toy at school and eat with it.  However, the knife was still a weapon and I feel the school did the right thing.  I think that no matter who the student is, they should be repremended for bringing weapons to school.  It is a rule, and he should of followed it.  Now, I realize he is only six years old and obviously does not always understand what is appropriate for school or not.  In this case it should be up to the parents to make sure nothing like this happens.  Especially an incident like this that was merely an accident.  This little boy learned “to always ask before taking something new to school.”  The parents should have been watching.  I feel that if the school changes their policy it will become harder to determine who is innocent and who deserves reform school.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33289924/ns/today-today_people/?GT1=43001

In Albertville, Alabama, a woman was pulled over recently with a cardboard box on the top of her van. The woman said the box was secure because her daughter (13) was inside the box weighing it down. Apparently, the box was attached to the roof by a clothes hanger. The mother has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Fortunately, the daughter was okay and is currently under the custody of a relative.

All I can say is wow. How stupid could a person be? I do not know what kind of thoughts went through that woman’s mind before she decided placing her daughter in a cardboard box on the top of a moving vehicle was a good idea. That is definitely not mother of the year material. Moreover, I cannot believe she justified her actions by saying the box was safely secured with a clothes hanger! If the box does not fit in the van, why take it? It had to have been an empty box before the daughter was inside, so how important was it? Apparently it was more important than her child’s safety.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33184919/ns/us_news-weird_news/