Britain expands its surveillance powers. St. Louis cuts 2,300 transit routes. And an Oregon man commits suicide while viewing the film Watchmen. These are the top stories gaining attention around the world.
Digital Journalists are busy writing stunning articles featuring illuminating interviews and on-the-ground reportage. When these writers go the extra mile by boosting their articles with interviews and original photography, their journalism definitely stands out.
Kudos to Carolyn E. Price for covering a Toronto protest on an activist group fighting for the rights of refugees. She wrote what the demonstrators were upset about, and what sparked the protest. Some great photos also dot the site.
In the U.S., St. Louis announced it would cut hundreds of major transit lines. These arteries to various parts of the city are essential to many residents, Rhonda Straw found out, and she spoke to several people who are upset about the bus-line cuts. Rhonda knows the city well, and that intimacy with the region nicely informed the article with refreshing details.
In Addicted Baseball Fans Experiencing Withdrawal, Digital Journalist Kim Hartman reported on another American tragedy: the loss of a minor league baseball team. Triple-A team Tucson Sidewinders are no more, she said, and baseball lovers are sporting perma-frowns. Also noteworthy are the 16 (!) photos she posted to complement her article, featuring hot action shots of the players.
Not to be missed, Michael Krebs told us about a New York theater defiant in the face of the economic crisis. Despite having a tough time selling out some performances, the Joyce Theater is actually adding some matinee shows. Michael wrote: “A performance arts theater may just operate in a dedicated bubble, attending to the particular tastes of a very discerning audience.” Arts fans, this is one story you don’t want to miss.
Many other major stories are winning acclaim on DigitalJournal.com, including:
• NORAD: North Korean satellite ‘did not reach space orbit’: In one of the most talked-about stories, NORAD confirmed the North Korean missile/satellite didn’t reach orbit. But Pyongyang’s official government spokesmen are denying the U.S. claims, saying their satellite did indeed reach orbit. Who to believe?
• Britain’s ‘Big Brother’ tracking private information for a year: Bad news for paranoid Brits — its government plans to mandate that “Internet and phone companies will be required to store all personal data surrounding every user including emails, call history and website browsing history.” Nikki Weingartner explained that some critics are unhappy with the plan: “People are upset at what is being seen as a breech of privacy set forth by a governmental force.”
• Why Has Walgreen’s Pulled Chia Obama From Its Shelves?: Sounds like a spoof article, but it’s no joke — Chia Pet is extending its product line to include Chia Obama, with the iconic green hair resembling the President’s ‘do. Sounds like Walgreen’s is paranoid, and pulled the controversial product from the shelves. And our Digital Journalist mentioned there could be a Chia Hillary in the works, which sounds like the Chia company is gasping for some rejuvenated sales.
• 15 Years Later, We Remember Grunge Rocker Kurt Cobain: Carolyn E. Price reported on the 15-year anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death. She took us back to Cobain’s suicide note and aftermath, and the comment thread provided readers with some fond recollections of Nirvana’s top tunes.
• Man Shoots Himself in Head While Watching Watchmen: A horrific story out of Oregon, where a man shot himself in the head while watching the superhero film Watchmen. Michael Cosgrove took a pragmatic view of the suicide: “I’m glad he did that instead of putting that bullet in someone else’s head. ”
• Very Dead German Mathematician Billed For Television and Radio: Great headline blended nicely with an odd story — Adam Ries, a German mathemitician who died 450 years ago, was recently billed for TV and radio fees from the GEZ fee collection office. Not even being dead can save you from the Taxman.
• Two pit bulls set on fire by teenagers; dogs later euthanized: In this disturbing story, bored teenagers burned a couple pitbulls for fun and then those dogs were then euthanized. According to Nikki’s article, “one of the dogs was believed to be either pregnant or nursing a litter.” We’re certain PETA and other animal-safety advocates are distraught over this incident. What do you think?
• Kal Penn Leaves ‘House’ for the White House: It’s not news when an actor becomes engaged in politics, but what about when an actor actually works for the White House? That’s the scenario with Kal Penn, known for his role in the White Castle flicks, who’s going to serve as a liaison connecting the Obama administration with arts and entertainment groups. KJ Mullins wrote: “He will be helping remove the red tape for the general public and the White House.” Let’s just hope this isn’t some kind of Borat-type stunt.
TopFinds Awards
The honourees of this week’s TopFinds Awards attracted impressive attention and widest readership. Digital Journal thanks the following Digital Journalists with Awards for their passion for covering the top issues of the day: Rhonda Straw, Kim Hartman, Kesavan Unnikrishnan, Adriana Stuijt, Michael Krebs, M Dee Dubroff, Carolyn E. Price, Sandy Sand, Bob Ewing, Nikki Weingartner, and KJ Mullins.
The Top Blog Post of the Week goes to Michael Cosgrove (a two-time winner) for his personal expose What is Sexual Attraction? Pulling no punches, Michael revealed how his relationships gave him deeper understanding into hormonal pulls towards a partner. His writing was frank and honest, illustrative and enlightening. There’s nothing like a Cosgrove blog post, as we’ve discovered, and we always look forward to what he has to say about the various episodes in his life.
