Thursday, September 29, 2011: The New York Times

       The photograph and the simple design of the lead article on the front page were what I first looked at today. The lead of the story was extremely effective and interesting: "Capt. William H. May noticed the man who started the trouble. The priest." Honestly, when I first read that paragraph I thought that I had read it incorrectly because those two ideas seemed so contradictory - trouble and a priest. As I continued to read, I learned the details of this story of a hijacking from 1972 that came to an end only this week. The details of this story are fascinating because I can not remember having read another article with a plot so out of the ordinary. This article contains one of the most memorable leads that I have read in a while.
        To read something different today, I also skipped to the "Thursday Styles" section of the Times. This section covered a variety of subjects, from musicians (I use that word tentatively referring to Joe Jonas), to a popular cafe in Paris, to a new Gucci museum in Florence. I enjoyed all of these pieces because they can be written slightly more creatively and objectively than the usual news stories on the front page.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011: The New York Times

       I did not find today's issue to be particularly enticing to read. Most of the articles seemed boring and not of great significance, however, my attention was caught by "Protests Rise Around Globe as Faith in the Vote Wanes." For at least the past year, it has seemed that every time I read the paper or watch the news, there has been some news of a protest internationally. Last year, there was news of the protests in Egypt on a daily basis. Now, this article addresses India, Spain, Greece, and Israel. The protests in the article are on various subjects, but all relate to unhappiness with their political systems somehow.
       The writer began this article by describing scenes in different countries, which showed me, the reader, the anger and issues that people have toward their governments right now. I also liked some of the quotes that the writer used. He chose very strong quotes to convey the sentiments that the people of these nations in economic instability currently feel.

UNO Tournament Held at MUB

This is an article that I wrote for TNH this week, separate from class. It was also published in the Tuesday, September 27 edition of the paper.

SIC’em held their 2^nd annual UNO Tournament Friday, September 23 in the MUB Strafford Room at 9 p.m. The original goal of this tournament was to break the UNO Tournament World Record of 350 people; however, they did not quite achieve this.

The event attracted close to 100 people, according to Dave Zamansky, the Assistant Director for Student Leadership. We were “hoping for 200,” he said, adding that the heavy rain may have reduced student turnout.

“It definitely seems to have grown since last year,” said SIC’em member, Sarah McCullagh, sophomore.

The first UNO Tournament was held last spring, during Easter weekend; only about 30 students attended. This year’s tournament has “been in the works since last year’s UNO event,” said Alex Bieniek, a SIC’em staff member.

Neither students nor staff, however, were discouraged that they were unable to surpass the record Friday night. SIC’em members have high hopes for next year’s tournament. “It’s going to be an annual thing,” said Bieniek.

SIC’em members hope that the event will continue to grow each year, eventually breaking the UNO Tournament World Record.

Bieniek considered the event a success. “The whole idea of SIC’em is to give alternative events to students.”

Students found the opportunity to break the world record appealing, but did not consider it the main reason to attend the event. Sophomores Caitlin Allaire and Emily Pelletier attended the UNO tournament more for the fun of the game than to break the record. 

Enthusiasm from students was evident from the start of the evening. After the rules were explained and the prizes were announced, Zamansky asked, “Are you ready to play?” In response, a student shouted, “Bring it!”, and game play commenced. 

The prizes of the tournament were reason enough to be enthusiastic. Students could win tickets to the Colonial Clash football game, tickets to the Frozen Fenway hockey game, a Kindle, an iPad 2, and various other prizes such as UNO card games. 

A winner from last year’s event, Dylan Ball, attended the UNO Tournament again this year; last year he won an Xbox 360.

This year’s winners included Hannah DeBenedichs, junior; Laura Higgins, freshman; and Kelly Donahue, senior. For their prizes, DeBenedichs chose the iPad 2 and Donahue chose the Colonial Clash tickets.

SIC’em is responsible for many on campus events throughout the year. We are “always looking to add more events,” said Bieniek.

Next weekend, SIC’em is sponsoring Dualing Pianos on Friday, September 30 at 9 p.m.,  along with comedian juggler Mark Nizer on Saturday, October 1 at 4:30 p.m. and comedian Jessi Campbell at 9 p.m. A complete listing of SIC’em events can be found on the UNH MUB website.

SIC'em UNO Tournament draws bigger crowd than last year 

SHARPP Promotes New Location at Block Party

This is the article that I wrote for class this week. It was also published in The New Hampshire on Tuesday, September, 27.

On Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, SHARPP held its first “Party on the Block” event at Wolff House, their new location. SHARPP, the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program, organized this event to promote their newly renovated location and to spread awareness to students.

                SHARPP was joined at this event by representatives from Health Services, the UNH Counseling Center, the UNH Police Department, and the Durham Fire Department.

Dawn Zitney, the Media Outreach Coordinator for SHARPP explained that they were joined by these other organizations at the event to “involve all of our neighbors that we work with.”

The “Party on the Block” was organized by Zitney and Maggie Wells, the Outreach Coordinator for SHARPP.

                The event featured a live DJ, informational tables, a raffle, and tours of Wolff House. Tents set up on the front lawn covered tables sponsored by Health Services and the UNH Counseling Center, along with free snacks for visitors. Students, faculty, and staff all showed up for the event, although turnout may have been slightly diminished by the rain.

                Zitney said that the purpose of the event was to “encourage people to visit our new space.” SHARPP’s new location, Wolff House, is the former home of CFAR, the Center for Academic Resources; CFAR has since relocated to Smith Hall.

                Previously located in Verrette House, SHARPP moved to their new space as a result of the construction of the new Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. Their former location was less than ideal, with offices located on the first and third floors, separated by unrelated offices on the second floor. “To be able to gather in [a] continuous space is something we’ve always wished for,” said Mary Mayhew, the Program Director of SHARPP.

The new location has a “better flow” and is a “big improvement” over their previous office space, according to Wells.

                Renovations to Wolff House began last winter, allowing SHARPP to move into their new home last spring, on May 26. According to Mayhew, the renovations were mostly cosmetic work. The carpet was stripped, revealing hardwood floors, and the walls were painted.

               SHARPP’s objective for the event was to make students more aware of where they are now located and that their new home is a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. Each staff member’s office is a warm, personalized environment; most include couches and relaxed sitting areas.

Mayhew wants students to know that “we’re here, we’re welcoming.”

                Along with personal, welcoming offices, SHARPP’s new home includes a conference room on the second floor and the Advocate Room on the first floor. The Advocate Room is a living room style room where students can comfortably sit and speak with SHARPP staff members. Located at the rear of the building, the Advocate Room includes a back door through which students can leave if they feel uncomfortable exiting through the front entrance.

                The conference room is a new feature that SHARPP did not have at Verrette House and is part of their plan to be “as accessible as possible,” said Mayhew.

SHARPP’s goal is “to eliminate sexual and intimate partner violence [and is done] by providing free and confidential advocacy and direct services to all survivors and their allies; and by offering culturally competent awareness and prevention programs to the University of New Hampshire community,” as stated on their website.

Mayhew wants students to know that “we’re not just a scary place to go when you’re in crisis.” SHARPP just started their own YouTube channel and has “a live chat room about healthy relationships,” said Mayhew.

SHARPP staff member are enthusiastic about helping students and informing them of their programs and resources. Ashley Fowler, who just recently joined the SHARPP staff on Tuesday, Sept. 20, is the new AmeriCorps Victim Assistant. Like the other SHARPP staff members, Fowler wants students to know that SHARPP is always accessible to them.

When students go to SHARPP with a question or a problem, “we don’t judge people, there is no right or wrong answer, [and] we help them figure out what is [a] better [solution] for them,” said Mayhew.

SHARPP’s hours are from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, at Wolff House.

SHARPP promotes new location at block party - TNHonline 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011: New York Times

       Today's front page of the newspaper is a perfect example of budgeting imbalances in the world. Millions are spent on TV shows, while researchers are developing ways to utilize vinegar to treat cancer in Thailand because many people are unable to afford traditional cancer treatments. Many of the stories on the front page highlight the lack of necessary funds internationally: "Spending Deal Sidesteps Fight on Disaster Aid"; "Deep Recession Sharply Altered U.S. Jobless Map"; and "Fighting Cancer With Vinegar and Ingenuity". On the lower section of the page, two stories show a waste of money: "In North Dakota, Flames of Wasted Natural Gas Light the Prairie"; and "Hollywood's Blockbuster Style Splashes Onto the TV Screen."
       The delayed lede of the "Cancer" article caught my attention and made me want to continue reading to learn more. This story provided great descriptions of personal life and of scientific explanations. The writer ended with a strong quote, showing the impact that this research and treatment has had upon women.

Monday, September 26, 2011: The New York Times

       I found today's issue of the Times interesting because it displayed a variety of topics on the front page. It has seemed recently that many of the articles have revolved around the international economic issues. However, the front page today featured only a small "News Analysis" of the European market. The rest of the articles spanned a variety of topics: flood victims and disaster aid; sentencing and trial debates; a subsidized housing development in the Bronx; and suffrage for women in Saudi Arabia.
       "Saudi Monarch Grants Women Right to Vote" caught my attention more than the other articles on the front page because it still astounds me that women have less rights than men in many parts of the world. I take for granted the fact that men and women in the United States have equivalent rights, while forgetting that many women have much lower social statuses throughout the world. This article used a summary lead, providing me with the basic facts at the beginning of the article and continuing to explain the impact of this decision and women's rights throughout the remainder of the article.

The Big Sting: Delayed Lead

                Wednesday, July 21 seemed like a routine beach day – warm water, warm weather, and crowds of people.

                However, the crowd of 50 children running from the water in a panic was far from routine.

                At Wallis Sands State Beach in Rye, NH, approximately 100 people were stung by an unusually large dead jellyfish on Wednesday. Lifeguards pulled a dead 50-pound lion’s mane jellyfish from the water using a pitchfork after the children complained of stings.

                Park manager Ken Loughlin was at the scene when the incident occurred. “I’ve never seen such a thing,” said Loughlin, who has worked at the beach for 30 years.

                According to Robert Royer, an aquarist at the Seacoast Science Center, this species of jellyfish is common in New England. “That’s the largest we have around here. I’ve never heard of them getting 50 pounds, though.”

                Emergency crews from six towns in the Seacoast area were called to the beach. The victims were treated in the bathhouse, while five children were taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital as a precaution to severe allergic reactions. However, no serious injuries occurred, according to hospital officials.

Friday, September, 23, 2011: The New York Times

       Being from Boston, I first looked at the article on the front page of the Times about the Red Sox. "From Cruise Control to Panic Mode in Boston and Atlanta" was an interesting and thorough analysis of the teams' demises at the tail end of the regular season. Discouraging, yes, but still interesting. The writer used strong language to convey the ups and downs of the Red Sox history. I particularly appreciated the line, "A collapse this season could even rival the horror of 1978, when the Red Sox blew a 14-game lead over the second half of the season and lost to the Yankees in a one-game playoff that turned Bucky Dent into an expletive in New England."
       Since I was already in the B-Section of the paper, I continued to glance at articles in this section. On the front page of the Business Section was an article about Facebook, which seems to constantly be in the news. Last night on the 11:00 news was a segment about the changes to Facebook, similar to this article. Facebook is such an often used website that I think we sometimes forget that it is also a major business enterprise and that changes to it have significance in the constantly changing business and technology worlds.

Thursday, September 22, 2011: The New York Times

       Today is not a particularly interesting day in The New York Times. Even the photo on the front page depicts boredom: Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, appears bored while listening to President Obama speak at the United Nations yesterday. The article that goes along with the story was long and dry. It began with a delayed lead describing President Abbas's reserved demeanor, which really did not make me want to read more. The article grew slightly more interesting as it went on, but only slightly.

       Overall, the articles on the front page were nothing new or exciting. As of most recent days, they were about the US debt, government spending, and similar issues. But towards the lower section of the paper was a joyous looking picture, showing the release of Americans hikers from Iran and the article on page A11. I first read about this story over a year ago and was interested to read the successful resolution of this unfortunate situation. This story examined the political aspects of the hikers' release whereas most of the other stories I have read on this subject focused more on the human interest aspect of the story. It was nice to actually read a story that had a solid resolution to it, unlike the many unresolved political issues that are currently in transition.

Pura Vida Bracelets - Jewelry for a Cause

This is the article I wrote for class this week, Monday, September 19. It was also published in The New Hampshire, in the Tuesday, September 20th edition. I took the accompanying photos for this story as well.

Pura Vida: Bracelets for a Cause

By Susan Doucet

Ever since she traveled to Costa Rica during her junior year of high school, Alyssa Taliaferro has felt a connection to the country’s culture and citizens. Now, as a student representative for the company Pura Vida Bracelets, she has found a way to give back to the artisans and residents of Costa Rica who profoundly influenced her.

                Taliaferro, a junior at the University of New Hampshire, spent a week and a half during high school traveling throughout Costa Rica where she experienced not only the traditional tourist aspects of the country, but also the less visited, impoverished aspects as well.

                Two days of her trip were dedicated to volunteering at underfunded schools for children with disabilities, which “changed her outlook on life,” she said.

                This past summer, Taliaferro learned of Pura Vida Bracelets, a company whose purpose is to improve the lives of Costa Rican artisans by selling their handmade jewelry throughout the United States.

Pura Vida Bracelets was founded a year ago by two friends who recognized the beautiful simplicity of a Costa Rican artisan’s bracelets while they were vacationing there. They bought hundreds of the bracelets to bring home to California to sell. Sales quickly took off, allowing the artist and his family to move from a small shack to a more comfortable home.

Since Pura Vida Bracelets’ origin last summer, they have continued to expand, doing so by spreading awareness of their company and cause. The company uses campus representatives to make college students aware of their mission. Since becoming a representative in July, Taliaferro’s objective has been to “make people more aware… that tourism doesn’t bring in enough money to support the artisans and people who live and work there.”

On campus, Taliaferro has relied on social networking as a resource to inform people about Pura Vida Bracelets. Along with creating her own website to promote Pura Vida Bracelets, she discusses them on her personal blog, and has also contributed to Pura Vida Bracelet’s own blog.

She wants to “stress to people how easy it is to get involved” and to contribute to an organization that she truly believes in.

While supporting local artisans, Pura Vida Bracelets makes other contributions to the world as well. Because they “strongly believe in giving back” according to their website, they “donate 1% [of their sales] back to The Surfrider Foundation through 1% for the Planet”.

The Surfrider Foundation’s website states their goal of “the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.”

The donations to the Surfrider Foundation are made through the organization 1% For the Planet, whose mission is “to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet,” according to their website.

As Taliaferro said, “one percent doesn’t seem like a lot but every bit helps.”

In the past year since their founding, Pura Vida Bracelets has already made significant contributions in Costa Rica; according to their website, they “are now able to fully support the food, clothing, and shelter of 15 talented artisans.”

Pura Vida Bracelets aims to expand and contribute even more than they already have. Their ultimate goal is “to recruit all the artisans of Costa Rica and get their beautifully hand crafted jewelry on the wrists of everyone in the world,” as stated on their website.

Pura Vida Bracelets are available for purchase on their website and at select retail stores across the country; as of now, they are only available at one location in New Hampshire.

With their constantly expanding network of campus representatives, like Alyssa Taliaferro, Pura Vida Bracelets is on their way to that goal. “It’s hard to be here [and help] but I feel like [with Pura Vida Bracelets] you can help them there” said Taliaferro.

The phrase “pura vida”, meaning pure life in Spanish resonates with Taliaferro and reminds her of time spent in Costa Rica. The Pura Vida Bracelets mission “gives you a different perspective on life, [because] it’s something that’s bigger than you,” she said.

Alyssa Taliaferro, Pura Vida Bracelet Campus Representative

Here is the link to the article on the TNH website: 

The Beauty of Costa Rica on Your Wrist

Wednesday, September 21, 2011: New York Times

       The first thing that I noticed on the cover of The New York Times this morning was the picture - it was much more colorful and captivating than the usual depictions of violence on the front page. Numerous rainbow-striped flags line the top edge of the photograph, with a Marine walking below them. This image, one that is contrary to the usual images, made me want to read the accompanying story.

       The seeming brevity of the photo, however, was followed by a more serious subject: the end of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the United States military. A topic that I have followed occasionally over the years, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy has always seem distant and unrelated from me. This article gave a more personal feel to the affect of the removal of this policy, by quoting and describing a few gay women who now have opportunities that they had not been previously offered.

       Being a photographer, I also appreciated the picture of Russian dancer David Hallberg on the lower half of the front page. The beauty of this photo drew my eyes toward the very bottom of the page, where I spotted a shocking headline for an article on page A4: "Child Wins a Grenade." In Somalia, in a "common" radio trivia contest, children were awarded typical Somalian prizes: AK-47s and live hand grenades. This article reminded me of the starkly different worlds between the United States and third world countries, like Somalia. Without directly having to say that this type of activity is beyond unreasonable, dangerous, and inhumane, the journalist lets the reader determine his or her own opinion on these actions, by using strong language and quotes. The most powerful quote in this article, in my opinion, is by Sheik Muktar Robow Abu Monsur, who said, "Children should use one hand for education and the other for a gun to defend Islam."

Tuesday, September 20, 2011: New York Times

       While articles about international news are usually what catch my attention first, today the first article I read was "In Small Towns, Gossip Moves to the Web, and Turns Vicious." Being from a relevantly small town (approximately 21,000 residents), my curiosity was peaked due to the fact that I could relate to it. The introduction used a delayed lead, which enticed me to continue reading and to learn more. Upon reading the entire article, I realized that these towns were less similar to mine than I had thought, but the article was still extremely interesting. I found the final sentence, a very strong quote, to be a powerful way to sum up this article. This was a good example of how quotes can be used effectively at the end of an article without sounding dry or overused.

       Another article on the front page that I read was "Greece Nears the Precipice, Raising Fear." The lead was a list of concerns of possible problems if Greece defaults on its debt, which did not draw me in, but I continued to read despite this. As an international affairs student, this has been a subject that I have been following. The article provided much information and detail, but not much significant new information. Like the "Small Town" article, this article also ended with a quote, which gave a strong opinion on a delicate situation.

       A few of the other articles on the front page began with summary leads, which was a good balance to the delayed leads and list introduction.

Newswriting Exercise: The Big Sting

The Wallis Sands State Beach in Rye, NH, was briefly closed this afternoon after over 100 people were stung by a dead 50 pound jellyfish.

Of the 100 people stung, five children were sent to Portsmouth Regional Hospital as a precaution to allergic reactions. No serious injuries were reported by hospital officials.

After swimmers exited the water and began complaining of stings, lifeguards spotted the large jellyfish in the water. They used a pitchfork to retrieve the dead jellyfish.

Park manager, Ken Loughlin was shocked by the size of the jellyfish and the injuries that it inflicted. “The thing was probably 50 pounds. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

The jellyfish was most likely a lion’s mane jellyfish, as identified by Robert Royer, an aquarist at the Seacoast Science Center. These jellyfish are common in New England waters. “That’s the largest we have around here. I’ve never heard of them getting 50 pounds, though.”

Rescue officials from a number of towns in the Seacoast area treated victims in the bathhouse. According to a rescue official, the jellyfish stings felt like bee stings.

The three children of Alysia Bennett, a beach-goer, were stung and left the water crying. “They were terrified,” she said.

After the victims were treated and the jellyfish was removed from the water, the beach was reopened today, reported Loughlin.