SEA WORLD!!

I have had the opportunity to visit Sea World Orlando during February vacation in 2007, and I had an amazing time. We had taken the car train down and were staying in a campground in Ocala, Florida. Sea World was amazing. We spent a whole day there, but we still didn't see everything. And what I did see blew my mind. The exhibits were beautifully built, the animals were exceptionally taken care of, and the park grounds were beautifully landscaped and sparkling clean. They even went as far as to ban straws or plastic lids from the park in order to protect the animals! ;) I got to see many different types of marine animals, including manatees, dolphins, giant turtles, flamingos, stingrays, Shamu, walruses, polar bears, and my favorite type of whale, the Beluga whale. I even had my picture taken with one of the clydestales!

I saw two of Sea World's amazing shows while I was there, Blue Horizons and Believe. If I could have, I would have seen all of Sea World's shows, but there are only so many hours in a day. The shows I did see were jaw dropping, mind-boggling, fabulous, stupendous, and any other word that means amazing!Blue Horizons was a dolphin show, but it did far more than have dolphins jump up in the air; it was a play about a girl who imagined about living in the sea. The actors? Well they were dolphins, false killer whales, exotic birds, trainers, and acrobats. When you watch Blue Horizons you feel like you’re at a Broadway musical, only better because there were animals. And, what makes the show more amazing is that the animals act right along with the humans! The acrobats, trainers, and dolphins all perform tricks. The acrobats did high flying stunts that are simply miraculous. Some even dived into the pool from the trapeze, a drop of at least 5o ft. The animals performed tricks that were equally amazing and all perfectly timed. If they ever messed up, no one ever noticed. My favorite trick was when to dolphins would use their noses to push their trainer around the pool. The only word to describe Blue Horizons is astounding!

Believe is one of Shamu's latest shows and it is utterly breathtaking. The show features huge rotating video screens, beautiful music, and the rest of Shamu's family. The show's choreography is based on the natural behaviors of the Orca. It was truly amazing to see these massive yet agile creatures in action and it gave you insight into how Oraca's behave in the wild. Another awe-inspiring part of the show is that even though the Orca's dwarf their trainers, they are very gentle with their trainers. The trainer's, in turn, are just as gentle to the Orca's. This is one of the goals of the show, to convey that bond between trainer and animal to the audience. At the end, one lucky member form the audience, who is madly in love with animals, gets to stand on a platform, at most 35 feet away from Shamu. They also receive a Believe whale tail necklace from a trainer. (Unfortunately, it was not me, but it was still really cool to see.) I believe that Sea World has done a truly amazing job with Believe.

The highlight of my day, however, came when I got to go behind the scenes of the dolphin nursery with my mom. I had received the tickets for this "animal encounter" as a Christmas present. You can only do this if you have tickets, but trust me it's worth it. The dolphin nursery is the enclosure for mother dolphins with baby calves and adolescent dolphins. Before we went into the nursery, our guide told us a lot of interesting facts about baby dolphins and their mothers. For example, baby dolphins are born with mustaches. Awww! How cute! ;p Then, our big group split into smaller groups and each group got to work with one trainer and two dolphins. We were able to feed the dolphins and have them perform tricks. (We fed the dolphins small fish, but they got the whole fish. This part didn't bother me; I thought it was cool ;p) We had the dolphins lie on their side and we got to pet them. (Their skin is smooth, cool, and soft, but not slimy. It was just awesome to pet them.) Then, we had them do other tricks like back walking and jumping, but my favorite was the handshake. The dolphin would rise up on his hind flippers and you grabbed the front ones. It was a little hard to do, but after a few tries a got it. All in all, my visit Sea World was one of the most fun and enchanting moments of my life!

Links:

Sea World Home:

http://www.seaworld.com/

Sea World Orlando Home:

http://www.seaworld.com/orlando/default.aspx

Sea World and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund:

http://www.swbg-conservationfund.org/

"Snacks and Attacks" Primeval Episode Clip

This is a clip from one of my favorite Primeval episodes. It's from Season 1 and the creature is a raptor.

"It All Starts Here" Primevel Season 2

This is a commercial for Primeval Season 2 to augment to my review of the new season.

Primeval Review Series 2

BBC America's popular Sci-Fi show Primeval recently entered its second season, season three in the U.K., with new episodes every Saturday night. Popular in both the UK and the U.S., Primeval was written as competition for the long running show Dr. Who. Primeval is an interesting show. It's about a team of scientists who work with the government to contain a little problem the UK is having with DINOSAURS! Creatures from both the past and future come through rips in time called anomalies. The team's job is to find, prevent, deal with, and possibly stop the anomalies. The show combines flawless CGI with live action for truly heart racing episodes. The series is full of drama, action, suspense, and of course comedy.
The team is made up of citizens and government officials alike. Helen Cutter, once a professor of paleontology, is the first person to discover these anomalies and has been living in them for the past 10 years. She is assumed to be dead. Her husband Dr. Nick Cutter, also a professor of paleontology, doesn't discover the anomalies until eight years after Helen disappears. He works with Claudia Brown of the Home Office, the U.K.'s equivalent of homeland security, and puts together his team.(Cutter soon falls in love with Claudia). The official boss is James Lester, a Home Office official. Cutter is the head of the people who deal with the anomalies. In his team there is Abby Maitland who is a zookeeper, Conner Temple who is one of Cutter's students and basically the geek, and Stephen Hart who is Cutter's research assistant and the person in charge of weapons. (Abby and Conner might end up going out, and then again they might not. We will have to wait and see ;) )
Primeval always has new drama. In Season One/Season Two (Originally Primeval aired in the UK as two separate seasons. Here in the U.S. Season One and Season Two were combined) Cutter went through an anomaly and came back to a world that had evolved differently. Claudia Brown no longer existed, but in her place there was Jenny Brown a P.R. person hired to cover up the anomalies. The team no longer worked out of the Home Office, but out of the ARC (Anomaly Research Center). There was also a new government agent, Oliver Leak. Leak was secretly working with Helen to establish a zoo of every creature that comes through an anomaly in an attempt to change the future. The team shut it down, but Stephen was killed in the process. This season has barley started and it already has lots of drama. Helen has an army of clones and clones Cutter. The real Cutter finds a way to predict anomalies. He also figures out that myths from other cultures are based on the creatures that came through past anomalies. Dr. Sarah Page, who has a PhD in Archeology and Egyptology, joins the team. Her job is to study myths from ancient cultures that could have possibly been anomalies. Captain Becker also joins the team to replace Stephan Hart as weapons manger. Detective Danny Quinn also tries to join the team, as his brother was killed by an anomaly creature. So far, however, he has not been allowed to join. Meanwhile, Helen has seen a future completely destroyed by an army of future creatures. She is convinced that the ARC has caused this and shoots her ex-husband Cutter in order to prevent it. The real culprit behind the future's destruction is most likely Christine Johnson, a government agent who wants to take over the anomaly operation. She knows everything about the ARC while the ARC knows nothing about her. All this drama in only the fist few episodes; it looks like season two/three is going to be amazing.

Primeval Homepage

http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/primeval/index.jsp

EB Big Top!

The EB Music Parents Association has brought the Coles Bros. Circus to town from June 22 and 23 at the EB Community Center's field. The Circus is a fundraiser and all proceeds will directly benefit the EB Music Parents Association.

Before the circus starts you can watch the tent being raised. This will take place on June 22 at 7:00 AM. Seeing a circus tent raised will prove to be an amazing site and a great way to start of the summer. Doug Lee, father of beginner band saxophonist Peter Lee, said, "You don't see stuff like that often now-a-days". Unfortunately, this creates a problem because June 22 is the last day of school and that's where most kids will be.

The Cole Bros. Circus is one of the best circuses in the country, the best to its employees, and the most humane to its animals. It is also the oldest circus in America and is celebrating it's 125th anniversary. "The world's largest circus under the big top" will feature entertainment for all ages including acrobats, clowns, the human cannonball, and animals like dogs, horses, camels, and elephants. It's going to be a crazy circus, so don't miss the Cole Bros. Circus in E.B.

E.B. Spring Band Concert

Last night, at G.W.M.S. the 4th grade chorus, the beginner's band(5th grade), 5th and6th grade chorus, and 6th grade band held a free concert. It was a night of music and fun as the chorus sang their hearts out and the band blasted out notes.
The first group to perform was the 4th grade chorus. Standing high up on the risers they proudly sang their tunes. They ended with the upbeat song "Footloose", complete with dance moves and everything.
Then, the beginner's band performed. This was only their second concert, but it was obvious that they were very confident. They performed "Friar Jacques", "Mexican Hat Dance", and last but not least "Let's Go Band". "Let's Go Band" is an upbeat tune that features each part of the band and then the band as a whole. It got the crowd clapping along. The saxophone section seemed to have fun as the bobbed along to the music as they played. They even waved to the crowd at the end of the song, awaiting their applause.
Next up was the 5th and 6th grade chorus. They were missing many members due to either flu or a softball game, but they still gave a wonderful performance. The chorus performed a song about peace, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and a three part song about baseball. The three part song was very funny and very lively.
Last but not least, the 6th grade band performed. They played songs such as "Grand Old Flag" and of course "Let's Go Band". They even added their own cheer at the end, "6th GRADE BAND! BEST IN THE LAND! YEEEEAAAAAHHHH!"
All of the performers did a wonderful job and further prove that EB Music Program is truly, "A Tradition of Excellence".

Blog Post 10: Beat Shell: Summer Reading Shell

http://www.kira-kira.us/cracker.htm Cracker! by Cynthia Kadohata is a story about a bomb-detecting dog and her trainer Rick Hanski who are both serving in the Vietnam War. At first they hate each other, but then become very close and a great team. Interestingly, the story is told through both Cracker's eyes and Rick's eyes. The book is recommended for kids ages 8-12.
http://www.chrismoore.com/fluke.html Fluke by Christopher Moore is the hilarious story of marine biologist Nate Quinn and his research team. They are working in Hawaii trying to figure out why humpback whales sing, but the more research they do, the more strange answers they find. First, Nate sees the words "BITE ME!" written on a whale's tail. He's just overworked right? But then, his lab is ransacked and the film with tail shot of the "BITE ME" whale is missing! What else can possibly go wrong? ;) This book is recommended for teens and adults.
http://www.johngroganbooks.com/marley/index.html Marley and Me by John Grogan is the story of a troublesome yellow lab and his family, or as Grogan put it, "life and love with the worlds worst dog". You follow Marley's life from when he was a puppy to his golden years. It's laugh after laugh as Marley gets into more and more trouble. There's awes when Marley does something cute and tears when the biography comes to and end. (My advice, since this is story about Marley's life you know Marley will die, but try to forget that as you read. It's not the point of the book.) This book is recommended for teens and adults, but John Grogan has also written a version of Marley and Me for younger readers and even picture books. They are Bad Dog Marley! and A very Marley Christmas. Don't forget to check out the movie when your done with the book! ;)
http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0812975464 Walking in Circles Before Lying Down is about a woman named Dawn Tarnauer who hasn't had the best luck in life. Her parents weren't really supportive to say the least, she has been through two divorces, and her new boyfriend just dumped her. She used to have a loyal dog named Swentzle to help her through it all, but he died. So, Dawn turns to a pit-bull mix named Chuck that she adopts from the pound. Chuck does more than just console her with those sad puppy eyes. He actually talks to her and gives his own opinion of life! And Chuck's opinion on life is hysterical. Can his doggy instincts point her on the right path? This book is recommended for teens and adults.
http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=1599211823 From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, The War, and a Dog Named Lava by Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman with Melinda Roth is a heartwarming memoir. It tells the story of a group of marines called the Lava Dogs that find a puppy in an abandoned building. The marines keep the puppy in spite of General Order 1-A, which forbids pets. They name the puppy Lava and it not only makes itself at home in their command post, but also in their hearts. This book is recommended for teens and adults. (I'm sorry that I can't give you a more detailed description, but I'm in the middle of the book myself ;p)
http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0140384235 Kävik the Wolf Dog is a touching story about a wolf-dog and champion sled dog named Kävik and a boy named Andy. Andy saves Kävik from a plane crash and nurses him back to health, but Kävik's original owner comes to claim him. However, the wolf-dog will have no part of that. He runs away and loyally tries to find Andy. He travels 2,000 miles from Washington to Alaska, battling the wilderness and following his wolf instincts. Kävik the Wolf Dog is a action packed novel and one of my favorite books. This book is recommended for kids ages 8-12.

Doggy Driver

The following is a fictional story:
Yesterday, a dog named Breeze made a trip to the local Dunkin' Doughnuts drive through, DRIVING A CAR! That's right, the 4 year-old Great Dane decided she needed a doughnut and took her master's car out for a spin. She drove two miles from her home in Littelton, New Hampshire to the Dunkin' Doughnuts.
I'm sure your asking, "How in the world could a dog drive a car?" There are many reasons:

• Breeze's owner Bruce taught her how to drive a golf cart as a joke.
• The Great Dane could easily reach the pedals because she is 4ft 5in tall while standing on her hind legs.
• Breeze had been to the Dunkin' Donughts many times with her master and knew the way like the back of her paw.

Unfortunatly, this joy ride pooch has had her licence suspended. Annie, the worker at the drive-through window, got Breeze out of the car and called the police. (A very smart move.) Everyone at the Dunkin' Doughnuts thought the incident was hillarious. However, the police weren't laughing. Bruce was fined $500 dollars for Breeze's joy ride. He also had to promise to keep Breeze away from all motorized vehicles unless he is the one driving. Oh well, looks like Breeze has to be content with sticking her head out the window!

3 Principles of writing+editing online used in this article:

• simple sentences
• voice
• bullets

Blog Post 12- Should Twitter be used as a Journalism Tool?

Although I am not a fan of Twitter, newspapers should use it. The Internet is a very big part of today's world. People are always on the Internet. Many people even have the Internet on their expensive new cell phones. If newspapers hope to stay in business, they have to reach new customers. The Internet is the obvious answer because everyone is online.
Newspapers can use Twitter in many ways. Twitter allows newspapers to list quick headlines and posts that draw viewers in. Some are used to draw readers into their sites; others are used as websites with up dates and headlines(a stand-alone channel). For example, during the California wildfires, the L.A. times used a Twitter page to provide updates and evacuation notices. Most importantly, Twitter allows newspapers to find an elusive younger audience. Many young adults do not read the paper and the easiest way to reach them is on the Internet. Therefore, it is a very good idea for newspapers to use Twitter.

Blog Post 8:Free Choice Blog Post: Globe's beginnings

There has been much concern in the last couple of weeks about the fate of The Boston Globe, but where did this paper come from? The Boston Globe was founded in 1872 by six businessmen who were headed by Eben Jordan, also the founder of Macy's. The first ever Boston Globe was printed on March 4, 1872. In 1873 Jordan hired the 27-year-old civil war veteran, General Charles H. Taylor, to help the globe over come some financial difficulties. Taylor was later named publisher, and the position was kept in his family until 1999.

Since its founding, The Boston Globe has weathered many changes. The Globe was originally just a daily morning paper, but in 1877 a Sunday edition was added. The Boston Evening Globe also ran from 1878-1979. The Boston Globe moved from Boston's "Newspaper Row" on Washington Street to its current home in Dorchester in 1958. In 1973 The Boston Globe was bought by Affilliated Publications. Then, on October 1, 1993 The New York Times Company bought Affliliated Publications, including The Boston Globe. Boston.com was launched into the Internet in 1995 and has become one the U.S.'s strongest regional websites. The Globe has also invested in other types of media such as Red Sox and NESN, the Boston Metro, and Globe Direct. Let's just hope the changes in 2009 won't be the end of this great paper.

Training Tips-Touch It

It's always fun to teach your dog a new trick. One simple trick you can teach them is "touch it". To teach your dog this trick you will need lots of really smelly treats that can be easily broken into small pieces (lunch meat is a good idea) and a clicker. A clicker is a training tool that when pressed makes a click noise. This signals to the dog that he has performed the trick correctly. Clicker training can be used with any type of dog. (Some people even use clickers to train other types of animals such as horses or giraffes.)
First, you will need to teach your dog to associate the sound of the click with a treat. Just click the clicker and then immediately give your dog a treat. Be sure to have your treats readily available. If you take to long to give your dog the treat, the concept of the clicker won't sink in. Also remember to use verbal praise as well. Act like your dog has just invented IPods. Keep doing this [click, treat, click, treat, click, treat] until you get to the point where your dog will automatically look at you for a treat when they hear the click. Try to keep your training sessions short, 15 minutes at the most, otherwise your dog will get bored and loose focus. Clicker training should be happy, and fun, never a chore or punishment. If you or your dog gets frustrated end your training session for the day.
Next, get your dog to actually touch your hand. Rub smelly treats on your hand and place it a couple inches away from your dog's nose. Do not give your dog the "touch it" command yet. Your dog will sniff your hand anyway when it catches a whiff of the treats you rubbed on it. When your dog touches your hand to sniff it, click and treat. Try to click exactly when the dog's nose touches your hand, no later and no earlier. Dogs are smart and as they catch on they may try to cheat by just getting close to your hand instead of touching it. Do not praise this, wait until your dog touches your hand. Also, always treat with the hand that is not being touched. It will train your dog to look for the treats hidden in your hand not to look at you for a treat.
Finally, when your dog is comfortable with sniffing your hand for a treat introduce the command "touch it". When your dog touches your hand say "good touch it", click, and treat. Keep repeating this and your dog will eventually catch on. Try moving your hand further away from your dog's nose. Soon, you will be able to wean your dog off the clicker. You will be able to just say "touch it" and your dog will rush over.
For more fun, try pointing to objects and saying “touch it”. Start with big and bright colored targets (food container lids work well for beginners) and use the clicker at first to help reinforce praise. Do not praise your dog until he touches the target. If you are having trouble, try putting a treat on the target. I find that peanut butter works with my dog because she will lick it and "touch it" at the same time. I have even trained her to work a bellhop bell! You can also use the clicker to teach other commands. Just catch your dog doing the behavior click and follow the same steps for "touch it". So, get out there and have fun training your dog.

(above)my dog Thistle performing "touch it" with a bell

So Long Scrubs

On Wednesday March 6, 2009 "Scrubs" fans said goodbye to J.D. (Zach Braff). Since J.D. was the very essence of "Scrubs", Wednesday's episode was also most likely the series finale. It certainty did not disappoint. The "Scrubs" humor fans have known and loved for eight years was still present even though it was the last show. Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) was finally able to show his emotional side and praised J.D. as "the best that ever came through this dump". The fans finally learned the Janitor's(Neil Flynn) name, Greg Mathews, but knowing the janitor it was most likely a lie. ;) At the very end J.D. walks through a hallway filled with past patients, girlfriends, and friends, who added up to more than 50 guest stars. Then, JD imagines what will happen next and it plays like a movie before his eyes. You see what he hopes happens with his relationship with Elliot, how close he'll stay with his Sacred Heart friends, and what his son grows up to be like. It was a very emotional ending to a truly sensational series.

Movie Review "Earth"

The new Disney Nature film "Earth" takes you on an amazing journey with three families of animals. Viewers go on a journey with a polar bear family in the arctic, an elephant family in the Kalahari Desert, and a humpback whale and her calf on their summer migration to Antarctica. The movie shows the families as the struggle on to their destination. You hope with all your heart that the baby elephant and her mom find their way back to the herd and want to see the polar bear dad survive his long swim in the ocean. The movie also shows viewers the lives of the animals living around the families. Pods of dolphins and sailfish attack a bait ball. A cheetah chases a thompson gazelle. (The action was so fast that they had to use slow motion) However, they show the animals in real life. What you see actually happened. These aren't Disney cartoons, they're real life animas. If you don't want to see predator and prey sequences, this is not the movie for you. If you want to learn more about the animals on our planet and the habitats in which they live in this is defiantly the movie for you. Be on the look out for the next Disney Nature film "Oceans" coming to theaters next Earth Day.

Cub-Napped

The following is a fictional story:

At noon yesterday, a Milton man was arrested for stealing a tiger cub from the Franklin Park Zoo. The 32 year-old man was named Charles Ray. In order to steal the cub named, Tony, Ray lured the cub to the edge of his cage with a picture of a female tiger. Once the cub was close enough he shot Tony with a tranquilizer gun. Zookeepers then observed Ray stuffing the young tiger into his knapsack. Police caught and arrested Ray as he tried to leave the zoo. Eyewitness say that a teary Charles Ray shouted, "But that tiger likes me! He was purring before I injected him!" as he was being put in a police car. Ray is being charged with a larceny of $250. Tony was checked by the zoo's veterinarian and the scared cub was returned to his mother.
But, why did Charles Ray do this? What made him want to steal a tiger cub? Friends, family, and eyewitness offer their account of the event.
As a kid Charles Ray always wanted a pet. His favorite animal was a tiger and he wanted an American Bobtail cat, which has stripes like a tiger. Unfortunately, his father was allergic to cats. "I would have loved to get Charlie a kitty, but Burt was just so horribly allergic. We tried to get him another pet like a dog or rabbit but his mind was made up. He wanted a cat," said Fredia Ray of her son Charles. Even after he left his parents home Charles hit road blocks in his quest for a cat. His college roommate was allergic, his first apartment didn't allow pets, one of his girlfriends was afraid of cats, etc.
But, in April of this year things started looking up. Ray was promoted at his job to the Vice President of Sprinkle Quality Control at the Dunkin' Doughnuts' bakery in Rockland. With the money from his raise Charles found a new apartment that allowed cats. He was even being reviewed for the adoption of a one year old American Bobtail kitten. "He was the happiest he'd been in years. All his dreams came true and Charlie could hardly believe it," said Mei Yow, Ray's best friend since childhood.
But, those dreams were ripped away from him. Three weeks after his promotion Ray was demoted to sprinkle checker. A customer had complained about rotten sprinkles and then sued the company for $1.5 million. No longer able to pay the rent on his apartment Charles had to move to an apartment with a land lord who hated animals with a passion. The adoption of his kitten was denied due to his new housing arrangements. "He was crushed he had been waiting 32 years for that cat and it was snatched away from him just like that!" exclaimed Kit Ekat, Charles girlfriend, "He was so down that I decided to take him to the zoo to see Tony the new tiger cub." Kit went on to say that he sat in front of the Tiger enclosure for a half an hour just watching Tony. "Charlie told me that he had a lot of fun and seeing the tigers really cheered him up. I hadn't thought it was unusual that he watched the tiger cub so long, a lot of people did the same thing. But then, he started to go there everyday," Kit commented. Zookeepers reported that Ray had come to the zoo everyday for the past week. "He would sit by the enclosure from the time the zoo opened to the time the zoo closed," said Franklin Park zookeeper Anne Malia, "It was kinda weird, but he wasn't bothering anyone so we let him sit there."
Soon, harmless cub-watching turned into cub-napping. "He left our apartment at 8 in the morning and said he was going to drive up to his parents house in Littleton, New Hampshire," recalled Kit, "He seemed nervous and upset. I figured there had been some kind of family emergency, and sensing his distress, I didn't question further." But, Charles didn't go to New Hampshire he went to the Franklin Park Zoo. According to security tapes he snuck in by climbing a tree and climbing down a rope ladder he'd brought with him. He then snuck into an open window in the veterinary office and stole a tranquilizer gun. The on call vet and most of the zookeepers were attending to the distraction in the zebra enclosure Ray had created to avoid being spotted. (He had placed a couple of Garter snakes in the enclosure, which freaked all the zebras out.) After securing the gun Ray hid in a supply closet until noon when he could sneak out into the crowd. He then made his way to the tiger enclosure to capture Tony. Meanwhile, the vets discovered that a tranquilizer gun was missing and called the police. Across the zoo Anne Malia and three other zoo keepers, Ben Galtiger and Panthera Tigris, were in hot pursuit of Ray. "We were feeding the red pandas when we heard the shot and rushed over to the tiger enclosure. Then, we saw Ray stuff poor Tony into his knapsack. We told him to stop and when he took off, we followed him. We weren't going to let him get away with Tony!" exclaimed Malia. The police had already arrived to investigate the stolen tranquilizer gun and caught Ray as he was running out. The zookeepers took Tony away and returned the cub to his mom. An exciting ending to an even weirder story.

Fun With Fido

When it comes to fun with Fido, there's a lot more you can do than just fetch. There are many clubs and organizations that you and your dog can join. These clubs give you a chance to train your dog and have fun at the same time.
I suggest starting with basic obedience training. Everyone wants their dog to be polite and obedient. There are many classes offered at pet stores, animal shelters, dog training centers, and many other places. Kids can get involved by joining a 4-H dog clubs. 4-H works through experimental learning. The kids have fun, become more outgoing and responsible, and the dog gets trained, Everyone wins. Also, when your dog learns basic obedience it will be easier to teach him new skills and try new clubs. Clearly, it is wise to start with basic obedience training.
After obedience you can teach or dog anything and join any club, the sky's the limit. Some popular clubs to join are agility and canine freestyle(dancing with dogs). There are also breed specific clubs such as drafting(pulling carts) and earth dog trails (navigating a series of tunnels to find vermin). Flyball is dog sport that is growing in popularity. It consists of a serious of hurdles with a ball launcher at the end. Dog teams send their dogs over the hurdles to get the balls and come back. These sports are fun and offer exercise for both the owner and the dog. If you love to watch dog shows on TV, you should show your dog in AKC. This is also called conformation. There are many small shows across the country that you can enter, and who knows you could end up at Westminster. You can compete, win big or go home with nothing, but in the end you've bonded with your dog. So GET READY, GET SET, and GO HAVE FUN WITH FIDO!
P.S. If a tried to write about everything you can do with your dog I would have to write a book! So go borrow some books from the library or check out the links below for more info! ;)
Links:
http://4-h.org/
http://www.akc.org/
http://www.akc.org/events/search/index.cfm
http://www.worldcaninefreestyle.org/
http://www.flyball.org/

Print Plus Article about Journalist involved in Stephen Glass Incident

On April 3, 2003 journalist Michael Kelly died in Iraq when his Humvee crashed; he was covering the Iraq war with the U.S. Army's Third Infintry Division. Kelly became the first journalist to be killed in the Iraq war. The 46 year old was covering the war in Iraq for his Washington Post column at the time of his death. Michael's Humvee was caught in enemy fire. The driver tried evasive manuviers, but, unfortunatly, rolled the humvee into a body of water. Thus, killing both Kelly and the driver. Michael Kelly had a lot of experience in covering war. Kelly wrote a book in 1991 about his trip to the Gulf War. On that trip he was 0n his own. Kelly lived in Swampscott, Massacusetts with his wife, Madelyn, and his two sons, Tom and Jack. He was the editor-at-large for The Atlantic Monthly and wrote a syndicated column for the Washington Post. Michael Kelly was also the editor of the New Republic until he was fired for disagreeing with the boss, 1996-1997. The Antlantic Monthly now sponsers the Michael Kelly Award in his honor. It is giving to journalists who show the same quality that he had, " the fearless pursuit and expression of truth" (http://kellyaward.com/).

Links:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/opinion/columns/kellymichael/

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/kelly_04-04-03.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/05/obituaries/05KELL.html

http://kellyaward.com/

Music Review-"Fearless"

Pennsylvania born Taylor Swift is still climbing the charts with her new album "Fearless". Released in November 2008, the album folows her hot album "Taylor Swift". The a lbum is filled with songs about love and loss. The catchy "Love Story" is Taylor's take on Shakesbere's classic Romeo and Juliet. Taylor gives the story a happy ending with Romeo and Juliet getting married instead of dying, "Marry me Juliet you'll never have to be alone. I love you and that's all I really know. I talked to your dad girl pick out a white dress. It's love story baby just say... Yes." "You Belong with Me" is about a girl who has a crush on her guy friend who never catches on. The song is very similar to her smash "Tear Drops on my Guitar", but while Teardrops is sad "You Belong with me" is upbeat and happy. She is saying, "Hey handsome and stupid I'm over here!" instead of "Gee, why don't you ever notice me?" She exclaims, "...dreaming bout the day when you wake up and find that what your looking for has been here the whole time. If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see, you belong with me". In "The Way I Love You" she talks about having the perfect boyfriend and not being happy, "I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain. It's 2 A.M. and I'm cursing your name, so in love that act insane. And that's the way I love you" It's an interesting story that breaks free from the usual "my boyfriend is so not perfect" songs out there. She expresses a different kind of love in "The Best Day" when she describes a the love between a father and daughter, a truly touching song.
"Fearless" is an amazing album filled with amzing songs. Its clear that Swift puts a lot of herself into her music. The songs are well written as well as beutifully performed. Swift fans, country fans, and pop fans everywhere will be listening to this album "Forever and Always".

Self Assessment of the Hourglass

Strengths:
One strength of my blog post was the dialogue I was able to provide in my narrative. Another strength of the article was the proper usage of the the hourglass format.

Areas of Improvement:
To areas of improvement would be using better grammar and being more concise in my writing.

PCC 2008 Reunion

The West Bridgewater Canoe Club was packed Friday night as teens gathered for the PCC 2008 Reunion.
The reunion lasted from 8-11 p.m. and was packed with fun. Organized by PCC alumni, the goal of the party was to get PCC 2008 alumni together with the friends they met at PCC. The dance provided water, soda, snacks, and pizza along with awesome music. The music was provided by Seismic Sound Disc Jockeys.
The reunion was held for the alumni of PCC 2008, Summer of True Colors only. PCC (Project Contemporary Competitiveness) is a summer program for high achieving 8th and 9th graders. students stay in a dorm for six weeks and go home on the weekends. They take two classes of their choice while attending the program. Meals, nightly entertainment(core course), and social time (rec and toilet bowl). PCC is a program that both enriches a student's studies and character.
Anyone who attended the reunion will tell you that they had an amazing time.
The night started with crying, yelling, and high pitched squeals in the parking lot as people recognized old friends. There was a line out the door that had a least a fifteen minute wait.
Once inside you almost felt like you were at a Friday night PCC dance. Freshman Elena Crowley said this of the reunion, "I liked just seeing everyone again and how it made me feel like I was back at PCC again". The DJ kept everyone dancing as they caught up with friends and shared memories. He even played True Colors, PCC 2008's theme song, near the end of the dance. Although, he couldn't play every song from PCC. Elena commented, "He was pretty good, but I know my friend requested some more PCC songs and he didn't play them. that would've been nice".
Near the middle of the dance a group photo was taken for one special PCCer who could not attend. Her name was Léa Boehringer and was a foreign exchange student from France. She was loved by practically everyone at PCC and was greatly missed at the dance. Elena shared her thought on the group photo, "I thought it was a great idea. I met Léa in week 6 and she was a great person". The photo was sent to Léa and is now her Facebook profile photo.
It was a wonderful night filled with hugs, memories, and dancing.

Self Assesment of Q+A Interview

Strengths:
One strength of my blog post was accurate spelling. Another strength was my use of good grammar.

Areas of Improvement:
I could improve my article by choosing a more specific angle. The content of the article could be improved by changing the order of the questions.

A Personality Interview with Dancer Elaine Hanby

Freshman Elaine Hanby has a favorite hobby, and that hobby is dancing.

Q: When and why did you start dancing?
A: I started dancing when I was five. I basically started to fill up my time. When you're five you experiment with everything from dance to sports.

Q: What is your favorite type of dancing?
A: My favorite type of dancing is ballet. I find it so much better than other types. I also like to do pointe work because I find it really, really hard. It is rewarding, though, when you do a step that you never thought you could possibly do.

Q: When did you realize dancing was your thing?
A: I probably realized it around 3rd or 4th grade. I quit sports because I was bad...(ha, ha). I found dance challenging and a lot of fun to do. I also had a really good ballet teacher in 3rd and 4th grade that made me really love ballet.

Q: Do you plan on making dancing your career?
A: No, I really don't. I would like to be a lawyer. I will probably take a few dancing classes in college. I find dancing more of a stress relieving activity then something I want to do for the rest of my life.
Links:http://ephdancer364.blogspot.com/

Funny Fish

Everyone loves those fast food mystery fish sandwiches, but have you ever stopped to consider what might be in them? The answer is Pollock, a small, cheap, and greasy fish.
The Pollock is harvested is even more disgusting then the fish itself. Huge commercial ships suck huge schools of Pollock up. The fish are then be-headed and ground up, bones and all. The fish purée is the frozen into blocks and shipped to your local fast food place, where you get it on a piece of bread with cheese and tarter sauce. It's not very appetizing if you ask me.
Although, Pollock may not sound appetizing to us, it is a major part of the food chain. For example, Pollock is a major part of a Stellar Sea Lion's diet. Because we take huge amounts of Pollock from the ocean, all that is left for them is the blood and heads the boats leave behind. Because, of our actions Stellar Sea lions have become endangered. Orcas also greatly depended on Pollock at one time. No that there is no Pollock left they are turning to smaller parts of their diet such as, Sea Lions and Sea Otters, to sustain them. Thus, the populations of both the Orcas and their prey become diminished.
There are a lot of ways you can help. For starters, don't buy any fast food fish, unless you know exactly where it comes from. A good rule of thumb is don't eat any fish sandwich that is shaped like a square. I used to have a marine biology teacher named Mr. Jordon who would say, "Have you ever seen a square fish?" Also, don't buy any super market fish that says fishmeal or Pollock. This fish is just as bad as the fast food fish. And finally, help lobby for new fishing laws that restrict hazardous types of fishing, like the fishing of Pollock.
We, as a country, need to be more environmentally aware and realize every little action affects the environment and ultimately our futures.

Response to The Patriot Ledger article "Groomathon Raises Money for MSPCA"

This article is a response to the Patriot Ledger Article "Groomathon Raises Money for MSPCA" On Jan 31, Zoomin' Groomin' of Hingham hosted a Groomathon at the DirectBuy of Boston South in Rockland that raised $500 for the MSPCA.
I think its great to see a business that is willing to spend time and money to help a charity, even in these tough economic times. Everyone needs help, people and animals alike, and unfortunately charities aren't getting as much donations as they used to. The MSPCA has to close three shelters because they don't enough money to run them. The money the Groomathon raised will probably help the MSPCA out a lot.
I think the Groomathon was a great idea. Its like a car wash for animals. It sounds like it was a fun afternoon. If I had known about the Groomathon I would have taken my dog Thistle down there to be groomed. I hope Zoomin' Groomin' will decide to host this event again in the future.
http://www.patriotledger.com/business/x2134823867/Groomathon-raises-money-for-MSPCA

Response to EB Star Article "Heart Warming Hometown"

This article is a response to an article on the EB Star website called "Heart Warming Hometown" by Paula Vogler. This article is about our town being named a Heart Safe Community.
We became a heart safe community because of the many steps we have taken to be prepared for cardiac arrests. Our town has had ALS(Advanced Life Support) trained paramedics in the fire department since 2000. The fire department has trained many people in CPR and the use of AEDs(Automatic External Defibrillator). The town now has over twenty AEDs placed around town including in the schools, in police cares, at the fire station, and with traveling sports teams.
I feel very safe knowing that my town is very well prepared to assist people who suffer a cardiac arrest. I had seen the AEDs in the schools, but never knew that there were many more AEDs and a lot people trained to use them. I was surprised to learn that AEDs were in police cars and travel with our sports teams. It seems like our town is ready for a cardiac arrest any time, any where. I am proud of my town for doing so much, and can't wait to see the signs that say EB is a Heart Safe Community.

Rudy

At the last game of the season between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech, #45, Rudy, made a spectacular tackle with 8 seconds left to go, making the final score 24-3, Nortre Dame.
Rudy was a walk on player who had never played or dressed. He got to dress for this game, but the coach wasn't going to put him in. No way. No how.
That changed when #75, Madeus, started chanting his name. Almost immediately, the whole team joined in. Then, the whole stadium joined in. Finally, the coach had no choice but to put Rudy in.
When Rudy first got on the field, he had no idea what to do. But, he was spurred on by the support of the whole stadium and made that spectacular tackle. He was treated like a hero and lifted up onto his teammates shoulders.
Congratulations Rudy. You finally got to play in a game.

MSPCA

The failing economy is hitting everyone including the MSPCA, who will be closing three shelters this year. The shelters to be closed are the Brockton, Martha's Vineyard, and Springfield shelters. Springfield will be the first to close on March, 31. It will be followed by Martha's Vineyard, which will close on May, 1. The Brockton shelter will be the last to close on September, 30. The shelter will experience a phase down in late March. Along with the shelters, 46 jobs will be cut which will effect 38 people. The MSPCA is offering separation pay and outplacement services to all of these people. The animals left at the shelters will be sent to other animal shelters if they can't find homes for them by the closing date. Please, if you feel you have the time, money, and space for a pet, adopt one of these animals. If you can't adopt a pet, you can donate to the MSPCA. If you donate to a shelter that is closing you're money will be put to good use until the facility closes. After that, donation money will be used at the other shelters. For more information about the closures visit http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage.

Nut Graph

7. Sled hockey is one of many winter sports becoming more popular among athletes with physical challenges, such as spinal cord injuries, limb amputations, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. In recent years, snow sport equipment makers have adapted equipment, and ski resorts have expanded opportunities for those with disabilities. Health experts say the trend has multiple benefits, both mental and physical.

11.That's a good question these days, now that thousands of people are finding themselves with pink slips and the need to let colleagues and contacts know they are moving on and -- perhaps more important for job seekers -- how they can be reached.

12. This is Anderson Indian basketball night at the 9,000-seat Wigwam, a crucial piece of the fabric of a city torn apart by years of auto parts plant closings and the loss of more than 25,000 jobs.

13. But less than three miles south, in the once-quaint Mexican town of Palomas, a war is being waged. Over the last year, a drug feud that has killed more than 1,350 people in sprawling Ciudad Juarez has spread to tiny Palomas, 70 miles west, where more than 40 people have been gunned down, a dozen within a baseball toss of the border. More -- no one knows how many -- have been kidnapped, and the Palomas police chief fled across the border last year and has asked for political asylum.

14.The stuff is a simple mixture of table salt and tap water whose ions have been scrambled with an electric current. Researchers have dubbed it electrolyzed water -- hardly as catchy as Mr. Clean. But at the Sheraton Delfina in Santa Monica, some hotel workers are calling it el liquido milagroso -- the miracle liquid.

Five Soft Leads

From The Boston Globe- Wednesday, September 17, 2008 :
1. Penciling in a scorecard as he sat in Row X near the left field foul pole, Mike Van Hoven of Brandenton, Fla., watched the ballgame play out at Tropicana Field as he listened to a whole different contest: a deafening vocal battle between Red Sox and Rays fans.

2. There were announcements on the public address system. there was a election day lunch special, a "good-sized" haddock filet with french fries and cole slaw for $3.99. And wedged between the rotisserie chicken counter and the baked goods:the polling booths.
"This is great," Dianne Mann, a 23-year resident, said after casting her primary election ballot at, of all places, Price Chopper. "I'm going to get my cart and get things for dinner now."

From boston.com (boston globe online)

3.When a young mother from Brockton named Uloma Ikeagwuonwu roamed the hallways of the State House yesterday looking for someone, anyone, to discuss school programs, it took her 90 minutes before she finally found two legislators.
"Nothing seems to be happening," she said. "It's so quiet. The people I expect to see, I'm not seeing them."

4.The little boy answered the teacher's question in perfect Cantonese, which until recently would have earned him praise at the Kwong Kow Chinese School in Boston's Chinatown.
But the teacher shook her head.
"No," said Catherine Lui, peering at the boy over her eyeglasses as he stared up at her from the front row. "You have to use Mandarin."

5.It was a moment to rejoice. On Nov. 3, 2004, police supporters in Stoughton hoisted Manuel J. Cachopa to their shoulders and carried him around Club Luiz DeCamoes as they celebrated the voters’ recall of two town selectmen who had refused to renew Cachopa’s contract as police chief.
It was also the beginning of the end, some say.

Podcast

http://vikingjournalism.termee.com/Meg.mp3

Zoos Get a Makeover (Example of Print Plus)

Zoo New England, who runs the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos, is planning a $53 million makeover for its zoos, which will hopefully create more jobs in the failing economy.
In the past couple of years zoo attendance has skyrocketed. Most likely because it is an inexpensive way to have fun. Obviously, the additions to the zoo will attract more people. More jobs are needed to accommodate the guests and manage the zoo's new additions.
Many of those new additions will be amazing new exhibits. In the Franklin Park Zoo a huge walk in bird cage is going to be built. The zoos visitors will be able interact with hundreds of parakeets as the birds fly about. The stone zoo is going to build an ape exhibit, its first since the 90's.
Many zoo patrons are ecstatic about the upcoming exhibits.
"I come to the Franklin Park zoo all the time," said 3-year old Conner Waitergotodazoo, "I can't wait to play with the birdies!"
"I love gorillas," shared 65-year-old Agatha Gorrillam, "I can't wait to see the Stone Zoo's new ape exhibit,"
Personally, I can't wait for the new exhibits either.

Related:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/18667517/detail.html

http://www.stonezoo.org/

http://www.franklinparkzoo.org/index.cfm?nodeID=2&stopRedirect=1

http://www.zoonewengland.com/

Photos are from the zoos' websites.

Ethics in Journalism

I agree with the journalist's decision not to publish an article about the family receiving the death benefit. By not publishing that story he demonstrated the ethical code of minimizing harm. If he had published the article the family would have had many difficulties. They were already trying to overcome financial troubles and trying to come to terms with the officer's suicide. The kids might have been teased in school. People may have looked down on the family for taking the money. The journalist knew what he had to do and why he had to do it. Clearly, the journalist made the right decision.

Better News Medium

I believe that the Internet is a better news medium than a newspaper. First, it is much more current than a newspaper. In order to get an update on a news article in a paper, you have to wait until the next paper is published. With the Internet, news can be updated as soon as new information becomes available. Another advantage of Internet news is that you can get it almost anywhere. You can get news from the Internet on your computer, mobile phone, or even on your Nintendo Wii. With a newspaper you can only get a place that sells newspapers, instead of just whipping out your cell phone. One last advantage of Internet news is that you can always be sure you will find the news you are looking for. On the Internet all you have to do is type the topic you're looking for in the search box and in a couple seconds you will have millions of articles at your fingertips. When, you buy a newspaper you can't always be sure that the article you want to read will be in the paper. Clearly, the Internet is a better news medium than a newspaper.

News Leads

News
Yesterday, veterinarians at the Hanson Animal Hospital received 17 canine frostbite cases due to the recent snow storm and extremely cold weather. (Fiction)

Recently, President Obama has been stuck in the middle of the argument in Massachusetts over the Cape Wind Project between two of his friends, Sen.Kennedy and Gov. Deval Patrick.

Recently, President Obama has given orders that will allow U.S. states to pass their own auto emissions standards, and put pressure on auto companies.

Recently, animal shelters across the state have seen a decrease in donations and an increase in animal drop offs due to the failing economy.

On Monday, the veterinarians at the Hanson Animal Hospital were faced with 10 more food poison cases in dogs due to salmonella in some peanut butter dog treats. (Fiction)