Word of the Week #8

Behest

Source: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20625.html

How it was used: "The White House confirms Wagoner is leaving at the government's behest."

Definition: noun 1. a command or directive
2. an earnest or strongly worded request.

My Sentence: At the behest of my girlfriend, I removed my cap while eating dinner.

NPR Interview Analysis

Terry Gross had a basic knowledge of the background of the band. She even knew that wearing a Metallica shirt in Baghdad was considered serious taboo. She knew that the band’s name was Latin for black scorpion. You can tell she did her homework, citing the band’s origins, struggles, and aspirations. I’m sure she had viewed the film, “Heavy Metal in Baghdad.” It was cool that she played a clip of their music so we could get a feel for the band’s musical personality.

She asked questions pertaining to the rare heavy metal presence in Baghdad. Her questions really hit on how and why the band got into heavy metal while living in Iraq. She asked how accessible heavy metal music is in Iraq. She also touches on their musical influences and asks who inspired them. Her questions lead up to the invasion and fall of Saddam Hussein. Then her questions begin to ask how their musical experiences were affected by the fall of Saddam.

Based on the band’s responses, Terry Gross would mold her questions accordingly. It didn’t seem like she had a strict set of questions but rather her set of questions were adaptable to the band’s responses. Her strategy was one of neutrality, especially when it came to the American invasion of Iraq. She steered away from questions like, “How did the invasion make you feel?” Rather she asked questions about how the invasion affected their music, and how they were treated with prejudice and violence. She didn’t focus on their actual personal beliefs, but concentrated on their music and how the music was affected.

The relationship between Terry Gross and the band was one of respect and curiosity. It really sounds like Gross has a genuine interest in the topic. The band is eager to tell their story. This makes for a solid interview because both sides are equally involved.

I learned that in order to have a successful interview, the interviewer must do their homework on the subject. It is easy to tell when a person has in-depth knowledge on a topic. The fact that Terry Gross was involved with her subject made the interview credible.

IMHO #1

In my honest opinion...

The case of Casey Anthony has been tumultuous to say the least. From the very start, beginning with Caylee’s disappearance, most facts about this case were left up in the air. Since no body was discovered for a long period of time, Casey Anthony took the brunt of accusations and protections. However with the recent discovery of Caylee’s body, some questions have been answered but the most important questions remain unsolved. It has become obvious to me that Casey was directly involved in the death of her infant daughter. The real issue to me is whether Casey had the intention to kill her daughter or if it was just an accident.

According to the www.wesh.com article, “Prosecutors Not Seeking Death Penalty For Casey Anthony” a Florida judge has decided to exclude video and audio footage of Casey Anthony’s reaction to the news that her daughter’s body was discovered. Though I strongly agree that Casey Anthony shouldn’t be facing the death penalty for first-degree murder, I disagree with the judge’s decision to throw out crucial evidence. Casey Anthony video footage was already being absolutely squeezed by Nancy Grace and other news programs. The judge’s decision was mainly based on the fact that the release of this footage would deny Casey a fair trial. If that is the case, then why haven’t all the videos of her crying and complaining been banned? Casey’s video rants have already made headlines on popular television programming. So wouldn’t it be fair to say that a fair trial is already well out of reach. For the judge to simply deem this new video footage as a breach of her fair trial rights is preposterous, especially when you consider all the defamatory footage of Casey already being broadcast.

With the massive media coverage of this case, hasn’t the prospect of ensuring a fair trial already been compromised? From all the party photos, contradictory statements, and fictional stories, there is no doubt that Casey was involved in Caylee’s disappearance. Casey has not shown any violent tendencies from her past or present to spur a question of murderous intent. Therefore I believe she should not face the death penalty. But she is still faced with a first-degree murder charge with the possibility of life in prison. For the absolute truth to be revealed, all significant evidence must be presented including the footage that the judge has decided to dismiss. I don’t believe that the threat of an unfair trial justifies the judge’s decision to throw out the audio/video footage.

Source: http://www.wesh.com/news/18830733/detail.html

Word of the Week #7

Underpin

Source: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9776268a25e75ad5b44b4d87e8a32a02.4a1&show_article=1

How it was used: "Russia could use bases for its strategic bombers on the doorstep of the United States in Cuba and Venezuela to underpin long-distance patrols in the region, a senior air force officer said Saturday."

Definition: verb 1. To prop up or support from below; strengthen, as by reinforcing a foundation.

2. To replace or strengthen the foundation of (a building or the like).

3. To reinforce

My Sentence: The builder chose to use steel beams over wooden ones, because he felt they would underpin the structure more efficiently.

Mystery Character

His beard ignited a playoff phenomenon in 2006. His court-vision is impeccable and his ability to finish at the rim is uncanny. He always takes the last shot. His demeanor on the court is one of confidence and fearlessness. He absolutely threw it down on Andrei Kirilenko and made a famous poster in the process.

He is mainly responsible for raising a formerly failed franchise back to respectability. He goes by the alias, "Boom Dizzle." His eyes are deep and his stare penetrates his defenders. He is credited with the longest shot in his sport's history. Who is he?

Word of the Week #6

Stoical

Source: http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13235460

How it was used: "His bedside manner would unnerve the most stoical of patients."

Definition: adjective 1. impassive
2. calm
3. indifferent

My Sentence: Ben's stoical reaction to his brother's big promotion made him seem apathetic.

Journal #2 - Media Audiences

The story I chose for this assignment was first released on February 28th, 2009. Four people are considered missing somewhere off the Florida coast. Two of the missing people are NFL players, Cory Smith and Marquis Cooper. They were all last seen four days ago before they went on a fishing trip off the coast of Florida.

Television: ESPN, CNN, and MSNBC all aired this story as a lead. ESPN broke the news as, "Breaking News" and even interrupted a college basketball game to air it. CNN and MSNBC aired the story as a secondary lead. All three channels focused on the two NFL players and quickly mentioned the names of the other two missing people. ESPN sourced their insider, John Clayton, who sourced, the Florida Coast Guard. CNN and MSNBC also sourced the Coast Guard for their reports. The story ranges from 30 seconds to a minute long.

Online: CNN.com has a story on this matter, however it is written in according to the missing NFL players' wives. The headline on the article reads, "Wife of Missing NFL PLayer, "It doesn't feel real."" The article runs for about a page and centrally focuses on the two NFL players and barely mention the other two missing. This article sources the players" families, teammates, and coaches, as well as the Coast Guard.

Radio: KNBR 680's Gary Radnich brought up this topic on his daily morning show. He leads as he usually does with the news of the day. This story was his first of the day especially because it involved an Oakland Raiders player. Gary Radnich sources, The New York Times, when discussing the story. He talks and takes phone calls about this story for 15 minutes.

The TV coverage differed from the online article. The main difference was the sources. The online article really centered on the families, especially the wives. The TV coverage had a brief mention of the families but were far more centered on statements made by teammates and coaches. However both media used the NFL players as the hook of the story and both sourced the Coast Guard. On the radio, Gary Radnich really took a more subjective approach to the story. Radnich is reporting assuming we already know the facts of the incident, and just basically expresses his own personal ideas and beliefs about it.

Word of the Week #5

Convection

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126975.500-future-tv-screens-seen-in-coffee-stains.html?DCMP=OTC-rss

How it was used: "The coffee granules are being assembled by the varying evaporation and convection rates in the fluid."

Definition: Noun 1. The act of conveying, or transmitting.
2. The transfer of heat by the circulation of the heated parts of a gas or liquid.
3. The vertical transport of atmospheric properties.

My sentence: In order for Tony to pass his physics class, he needs to understand the process of convection in boiling water.