Supernovas losing their shine. Burlesque dancers winning favour with social activists. Michigan getting hit with a sales tax on escorts (and others). All this and more in another busy week from our roving citizen reporters on DigitalJournal.com
Science & Technology
Always going the extra mile, Wanderlaugh gave readers a comprehensive overview of an aspect of climate change with his informative article on the melting Arctic ice. He supplemented his piece with insight into “possible temperature anomalies” and “ocean breeding cycles.” Call him our resident encyclopedia.
Still in science, momentsintime reported on why scientists believe supernovas are getting dimmer. The researchers are flummoxed, so their only explanation for this phenomenon is that the universe is expanding at an increasing rate, causing galaxies to fly away from each other. Oh supernovas, I hardly knew ya.
The tech beat got some good-find love this week. geozone introduced us to a biotech company specializing in bomb-sniffing bees (and I’m sure their honey is explosively delicious). And cgull wrote about a groundbreaking research project where the U.S. Air Force is attempting to create a laptop battery made from nuclear technology. What’s the big deal? This battery will be able to last for 30 years without a single recharge. And let’s hope they fix the spontaneous-combustion problems, too.
Arts & Entertainment
If you thought sexy burlesque shows were the domain of niche clubs, think again. As 666divine told us, naughty dancing is coupling with social and political causes to add a more activist element to this age-old art form. The Citizen Journalist also noted:All burlesque needs is an aroused intelligent audience who can appreciate what they are being exposed to.
Also winning attention in arts and entertainment are the following valuable stories: museinspiredart brought us two intriguing posts, from Jennifer Aston’s face being the most famous of all celebrity mugs out there to Radiohead announcing they’ll give away their new album online on Oct. 10. And for all you pop culture fans, Nathalie C reported on a Dr. Phil show focusing on Britney Spears and her custody battle. zadzi summed it up with the comment:
He’s now on a whole new level of annoying for me. There’s probably lot of money to be made off Britney though!
Politics
Some politicians get desperate. Case in point is a Nigerian politician who hired a witchdoctor to perform a ritual to ensure his opponent loses in an upcoming election, as uninvitedwriter reported. I wonder if the Dems and Republicans will start turning to the occult when the going gets tough.
Speaking of the U.S., Ron Paul is a Republican presidential contender worth watching, if his fundraising success is any indicator. As TheRationalAnarchist pointed out, Paul raised more than $5 million in the third quarter, an impressive number for a politician often branded the “Internet candidate.”
One of the finest most informative op-eds of the week came from BoVandy about Bush’s veto of a bill that would extend federal health-care to Americans. Bo dropped some powerful sentiments in his piece, including:
Why is Federal Health Care okay for the President, and the rest of the GOP members of the government, but not okay for those who truly need it?
Other stories worth another mention was gohomelaker‘s op-ed on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his decision to (perhaps) run for the country’s Prime Minister position; and Nathalie C gave readers a succinct overview of a recent media address by another Prime Minister, Stephen Harper of Canada. Like a live reporter in the scrum, Nathalie reported on the answers Harper gave to journalists’ questions, offering us an unfiltered glimpse into the roadmap the Canadian leader has planned for the Great White North.
TopFinds Awards
Here’s a pop quiz: Name the new Citizen Journalist who has posted 13 stories in one week, each of them articles on newsworthy topics? If you guessed clixy123, you win a donut, but clixy123 wins the New User of the Week Award. This prolific writer has already penned intriguing articles on Lebanon elections, cosmetic surgery addiction, French sanctions against Iran and the controversial Blackwater investigation. There’s a touch of the investigative journalist in clixy123’s writing and subject matter, most evident in the piece Investigation Into Iraqi Corruption Is ‘Classified Information’: State Department. We were even treated to an embedded link to a PDF on a report on corruption in the Iraqi government, which is a coup for any journalist. Undoubtedly, there is impressive talent jumping from clixy123’s keyboard.
When a Citizen Journalist reports on a story that falls through the cracks of international attention, dishing out details from on the ground in her home state, we take notice. Going the extra mile with her overview of the shutdown of Michigan government services was Picasso, who takes home this week’s TopJournalism Award. Offering background on why this strange occurrence befell Michigan, Picasso reported on the major problems the state faces, as well as listing (in the comments section) which services will now be charged a new six-percent sales tax. It is this kind of aggressive journalism that makes these articles part of a rising user-powered news revolution.
It’s always fun to watch the media fly into a frenzy when a new Naomi Klein book is launched. The author of No Logo released another indictment of globalization with the Shock Doctrine and the winner of our Top OpEd Award this week wrapped his analytical mind around the book’s main points. Wanderlaugh treated us to an intelligent review of a book touching upon free market capitalism and overseas warfare. He was able to dissect theories from Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes and Klein herself with all the clarity and insight we’ve come to expect from a CJ with considerable writing breadth. Thanks for giving us another winner, Wanderlaugh.
Finally, another writer dedicated to lengthy and informative pieces deserves a hearty kudos. Congrats to SportsAndTheCity for nabbing this week’s TopSports Award for his article on the upcoming Toronto Maple Leafs season. Filled with statistics, reasoned opinion and predictions, the article was one of the most comprehensive pieces on an NHL hockey team Digital Journal has ever seen. It even compelled some DJ staffers to throw in a comment or two. This CJ has once again shown how following a beat closely can result in thorough and introspective articles the reader can’t help but enjoy.
