The document contains several newspaper articles reporting on different incidents: a barn fire where a firefighter was injured rescuing animals, an unidentified body found in the woods on the first day of hunting season, a fatal car crash involving a teenage driver, and a restaurant kitchen fire where a waitress died helping customers evacuate.
2. Commentary Article
Global Warming… A Hoax? Kyoto Protocol Says No
By
Lauren Wire
The Kyoto protocol is an amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
by all participating countries to come together to reduce global warming. Negotiations for the protocol
were completed December 11, 1997 and entered into force on February 16, 2005. To this day the treaty
has been signed by over 188 countries in the world except one. If you couldn’t guess, it’s none other
than the United States of America.
The treaty came into play under the Bush administration and is still being negotiated as we’ve moved
into the Obama administration. Countries including have agreed to reduce their carbon emissions, many
by 20 percent below the 1990 levels by 2020. So why is it that the United States decided to not to join
the other countries over the years in this quest to save the planet?
Is it that the U.S. didn’t think Global warming was truly occurring? Maybe there was not enough
concrete evidence for them to sign the treaty? Or is it really that we were not going to reap enough
benefits as a country and therefore will sit back and make excuse after excuse on why to not ratify the
protocol?
These questions entered my mind as I sat in Biology class learning about the significant impact our
country and the world has on the ever occurring global warming trend. United States is one of the
leading contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. But the United States is also one of the leading
countries in the ability to cut down on these emissions. So why did we, as one of the largest and most
powerful countries not set an example and sign this protocol?
The Bush administration refused to sign because the costs of the Kyoto Protocol might have harmed our
countries economy. Well obviously even after not signing it our economy is not in the best condition.
They also felt that it was unfair for developing countries to not have the same reduction goals as
developed countries. So instead of helping out less fortunate countries the U.S. was going to sit in the
corner and pout because they didn’t get what they asked for.
The big picture that the government isn’t looking at is that this issue is not political. Global warming is
occurring based on concrete evidence from scientists, climatologists and other experts on the subject. In
the future when humans destructive ways are irreversible these selfish reason will not matter.
Most of us learning or reading about global warming and the Kyoto protocol are not scientists,
climatologists, biologist, or chemists and have little background other than classes or reading on the
subject. That does not mean we cannot read or even just feel the effects of the climate change. The
Bush administration had more than enough evidence to realize that signing the protocol was the right
decision.
Evidence has suggested that human’s actions began to have a warming effect on the earth’s climate
over 8,000 years ago. Obviously our ancestors did not have the knowledge and technology to realize the
amount of crap going into the air.
3. The greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane was not from over the top fossil fuel burning
for their own pleasure, but farming and agriculture. They were just starting to understand the
fundamentals of growing food in the ever expanding world.
Now there is no excuse. Over the past century, starting in the industrial era, we have begun pumping an
unbelievable amount of greenhouse gases into the air. With the amount of coal burning factories, power
plants and just simple human travel we are significantly impacting our Earth.
Now with just some of this knowledge it was apparent to me that we needed to buckle down and
change this deadly trend.
If we don’t act now we could be losing a lot more than pride and money. Impacts of global warming will
change habitats for wildlife. Many animals won’t survive the change in temperatures and the alteration
to their ecosystems. Increasing temperatures in the Polar Regions will melt glaciers and ice caps causing
the warming process to accelerate even more as well as an abundance of flooding.
If people aren’t concerned with the impact of animals and land then they should be worried about the
spread of tropical disease like malaria and dengue fever. Severe change in weather is a looming effect as
well. If action is not taken soon global warming and severe weather disasters may be closer than many
anticipate without the opportunity we have now to reverse our mistakes.
The United States remains the world’s top emitter, accounting for more than 21 percent of carbon
emissions. These emissions are still on the rise and the United States has yet to sign the Kyoto protocol.
It is unfair to the U.S. states that are truly interested in joining other participating protocol members in
the efforts to save our planet. Maybe with new butts in the White House and Congress they will see the
evidence sitting in front of them and reconsider this epic mistake of not signing the Kyoto Protocol.
4. Interview
Curled up on the plush leather chair with her pen and note pad in hand, it didn’t even faze her
that she was being interviewed. She continued to doodle and sketch as we prepared for the interview
ahead. It was a surprise after witnessing her calm demeanor that throughout the next 15 minutes of
discussion Christina became animated and witty when we talked of her passion for art and its amazing
abilities to heal.
Growing up in Lancaster County Christina Ehrsam was surrounded by the art world. Both her
parents were artists and encouraged her to pursue the profession after seeing her talent. Living
primarily with her mother, whose career was a freelance painter; Christina began to look at the drawing
world in a different way. “I always wanted to do art, but didn’t always know it would be my profession”
she said. Taking a different path than her parents, she decided to focus on art therapy and how this
creative world can help patients express themselves.
Much to her mother’s dismay, Christina moved out of their house at the young age of 18 to live
with her high school sweetheart, Brenton. Now 25, Christina said moving out was one of the best
decisions ever for her personal and professional life. Living away from her parents allowed her to
mature and slowly encompass the art field.
Before coming to Millersville, Christina attended two other colleges. Here at Millersville she
studies Art Education with the hope of using her degree to help patients express emotion and go
through rehabilitation with art. She would primarily like to help children who have been abused or
women that have had legal troubles.
Although she strives to use art for therapy, Art education is the degree she is pursuing and the
field she hopes to start out in. Still, she worries that there is a dim future for the arts in the public school
system. “There is so much emphasis on standardized testing and regimented thought and it scares me
that art and music will be put even more on the back burner for children,” states Christina.
Art is an amazing mechanism that allows students to express themselves in ways they never
knew how. She would possibly even consider working in the inner city schools due to the unique
challenges it would present. She feels she has been well prepared to take on these goals in life and looks
forward to making a difference in others lives. Emotional and passionate would have not been the
description
5. Oprah Winfrey:
An Inspiration to Women in Communication
One of the most inspiring women to reach over a million people in the world weekly is Oprah
Winfrey, the former president of The Association for Women in Communication and this year’s
keynote convention speaker on Nov. 12 in Chicago. As an avid supporter for advancing women’s
leadership in the world, Winfrey’s goals match the seven female students who created Theta
Sigma Alpha journalism program in 1909.
Viewers around the world gather around their televisions to watch “The Oprah Winfrey Show”
with its host Oprah, who’s a creator of her own shows, magazine, radio program, and an online
website. Born 1954 in Kosciusko, Miss., Winfrey had a trying childhood that was turned around
only when her father pushed her to find her potential. Before her career ignited she attended
Tennessee State University, majoring in Speech Communication and Performing Arts, only
adding to her credentials for television mogul and past president of AWC.
Starting at age 19, Oprah became the youngest person and first African-American woman to
anchor Nashville’s WTVF-TV news and later taking on many other feats including—Baltimore’s
6 o’clock news, talk show host of “AM Chicago”, and finally maker of “The Oprah Winfrey
Show.”
Winfrey has used her eminent status as a way to launch The Oprah Winfrey Foundation which
established the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Both the AWC
and Winfrey see the importance of helping women advance throughout the world.
Education is the key to success for both the Association for Women in Communications and
Oprah who both want to better people’s future. The AWC focuses on women’s career paths in
areas such as communication in journalism and media. Association for Women in
Communications saw Oprah as a pioneer in the communication field through her
accomplishments and elected her president in 2007.
The AWC’s mission of the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by
recognizing excellence and promoting leadership embodies what Winfrey has become. Just as
the women in the Theta Sigma Alpha throughout the 1900’s, Oprah is a pioneer for motivating
women to realize their potential.
###
For further information about the Association for Women in Communications, please contact: Lauren
Wire—AWC Vice President at 525-234-1111
6. Wicked Broadcast Feature Writing
Lauren Wire, Kris Pursel, and Abby Palutis
Host Into: Kris Pursel
Wicked is a renowned Broadway musical with songs by Steven Schwartz and based on the
novel Wicked, by Gregory Maguire. “Are people really born wicked or do they have
wickedness thrust upon them?” Wicked is the untold story of the life and times of the
Wicked Witch of the West. Before Dorothy dropped in two Ozians stole the show in the
Land of Oz. Elphaba and Galinda, two students at the Shiz Academy, who are now known
to us as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda are the stars of the show. This
dramatic adaptation of The Wizard of Oz doesn’t have Dorothy or Toto but instead takes
us through the conspiracy cover-ups, betrayal, murder plots and why being green isn’t so
wicked after all.
Abby Palutis:
Wicked begins with a chaotic scene of the citizens of Oz celebrating the death of Elphaba
Thropp, the famous green-skinned character we have all come to know. Glinda the Good
Witch comes down in a bubble to confirm the melting of the witch and the scene then
shifts back to the birth of Elphie. Elphaba goes off to Shiz University where her and
Galinda accidentally have to share a dorm room. Galinda, the spoiled, popular, rich girl
dislikes Elphaba due to her uncanny sorcery talents. Galinda, the beautiful blonde who
seems vain and superficial but with her friendship with Elphaba, reveals more depth as a
character. She changes her name from Galinda to Glinda. She is a socialite who persists
to be known as Glinda the Good Witch. My favorite song is “Popular”. This is Glinda’s
song about how popularity is so important. She tries to make over Elphie while continually
praising herself. My favorite line is when she talks about how people without brains can
get by just by being popular.
SFX #1: The song “Popular” with Abby’s favorite line of the song about being popular
even if you have no brain.
Lauren Wire
Throughout the school year Glinda and Elphaba become unlikely friends. The two girls
travel to Emerald City to see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Wizard reveals himself to
the girls and asks Elphaba to become his assistant because of her incredible magical
powers and the ability to read the ancient book of spells.
Elphaba after realizing the wizard is in fact an evil man runs from him. There is then an
announcement to all of OZ that Elphaba is the Wicked Witch who cannot be trusted.
7. Elphaba leaves her only friend behind, Glinda so she can fight the wizard with her
incredible powers and defy gravity.
Defying gravity is spellbinding song in the musical where Elphaba discovers the wizard is
not the hero she thought he was but in fact the mastermind behind the sinister plans in
Oz. In this song Elphie tells Glinda she will do everything in her power to defeat him and
save the animals of Oz. Even if she has to live without limits and go against the rules,
she doesn’t care what people think of her she will defy gravity.
SFX #2: The song “Defying Gravity” is played
Lauren Wire
After the breathtaking performance of defying gravity act 2 reveals what happens after time
has passed and Elphabas devious acts have earned her the title of the wicked witch of
the west and Glinda is the hopeful face of the town, the Good witch of the east. If you
want to see what happens go to New York and see the amazing musical of Wicked.
SFX #3: The Overture is played throughout underneath most of our speaking sections
Total Time: 3:40
8. Newspaper Article
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Firefighters rushed to the historic round barn of Lancaster after receiving
a call at 7 p.m. that is was fully engulfed in flames.
Arriving home from work a neighbor spotted a red glow in the distance immediately realizing something
was wrong. Running over to the phone she quickly called the local firefighters.
The rescue team arrived on the scene at 7:30 p.m. and remained until around 10:00 p.m. to secure the.
According to officials the barn belongs to a Hodge of Springfield Township and is run by him and his two
sons.
One firefighter, Susan Myers, was taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation after rushing into the
barn to save the remaining animals forgotten in the chaos. “I have animals of my own and know how
important they are to a family. Seeing them perish with the barn was not an option” states Myers from
her hospital bed.
Newspaper Article
BRADLEY, Pa. - The body of a man was found dead yesterday in Yarrow County on the first day of deer
hunting season.
A man dressed in hunting clothes was found by a passing motorist on the side of Highway 41. The man
was dead with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. No weapon was discovered near him
but tracks and a trail of blood were found in the snow leading into the woods.
Jason Peters of Bradley, PA found the found the body at 3:00 p.m. and called 911 on his cell phone.
Police identified the body as Fred Flanders of Bradley County.
Tracks and a trail of blood in the snow led into the woods but no weapon was discovered.
Flanders wife told police that he left the house to hunt alone at 4:30 a.m. for the start of deer hunting
season. Police are calling the incident suspicious.
9. Newspaper Article
SMITHVILLE, Ark. - A 17 year old male of Smithville, Arkansas, died yesterday on the way to Memorial
hospital after his car veered head on into a tree.
Witnesses told police that Steven J. Natale was driving at an excessively high speed and appeared to lose
control of the car. The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. yesterday when Natale was returning home
from school.
“I was driving home from work and heard wheels screeching. It sounded like an explosion when he hit
the tree, I was in shock for a moment before I called the police on my cell phone.” cries Marla Vessey.
Vessey of New Haven, Arkansas was one of the many witnesses that watched as police did all they could
to pull Natale out of the fire rubble.
“I’ve been on the force for ten years and so many tragic accidents happen to teenagers who haven’t
been driving long enough. Kids think they are invincible and we learn the hard way in instances like
these that they are not” states one of the police officers on the scene.
Natale was rushed to the Memorial hospital but his injuries were too severe and upon arrival he was
pronounced dead. He is survived by parents Vincent M. Natale and Susan V. Natale of 19 Brooks Avenue
in Smithville, Arkansas.
Newspaper Article
LIINGLESTOWN, Pa- A kitchen fire at Harrisburg restaurant took the life of a waitress and injured dozens
today.
Kokomos bar and restaurant on Linglestown Rd. was packed today for the Penn State vs. Iowa game
when what is speculated to be either a grease or electrical fire broke out at 4:00 p.m.
Waitress Courtney Reed died of burns sustained in the fire after running in several times to help
evacuate customers.
“If it weren’t for that waitress, a lot of people would have died, she led many of us through the smoke,
can’t believe the emergency exit was locked” said a customer John Anderson.
Reed, a 24 year old from Harrisburg, had worked at Kokomos since 2005. She attended HACC majoring
in physical therapy and was on track to graduate in May with plans to transfer to Penn State in the fall.
She was engaged to Earl Douglass, a soldier severing in Iraq and their wedding was set for
Six ambulances took 27 people to the Harrisburg hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, all later
being released.
The estimated loss is estimated at $500,000 but the restaurant is insured for 1 million dollars.
Owner John Guarena stated “This place was my life, I don’t know what I’m going to do, thank god for
insurance”
Now law suits have been issued as of now but the fire Marshall will be investigating the scene.