Feature (1)
Content
Feature What is feature? Feature articles are human-interest human-interest topic which focus focus in people, place and events. They go deeper than a hard news coverage. It thoroughly explores a topic. It takes more time time and effort to make than a news story because you need to provide factual research in form of actual or personal personal interviews and resources. A feature story story is not intended to report a breaking news but to discuss an in-depth look about the subject. Feature stories give readers information in an entertaining format that highlights an issue by describing the people , place and events. The power of an article lies in the ability of the journalist on how he can am plify the focus of an issue. Features have a clear beginning, a middle and an end.
Characteristics
Longer than a hard news
Creative use of language
Have different styles of writing
Entertaining
Need more time to do
Allows personal opinions
Timeless
May provide solutions
Differences Between Feature and News
Feature vs. news contents News
Feature
Must be current
Timely or timeless
Statements by powerful people
Personal observation and experiences, anecdote
Feature vs. news style News
Feature
Inverted pyramid
Narrative structure
Non-chronological
Chronological
Concise articles
Long articles
Lead: most important facts
Lead: grabs the attention of the reader
Style : “matter of fact” reporting
Style : Personal, colorful, humorous
Lead Leads in feature stories have opening sentences which grabs the attention of the reader. It can be done by using arousing and interesting words. The lead must catch the tone of the story. A lead may be sarcastic, ironic, serious or humorous. Leads are:
Often longer than one sentences
Chance to grab the reader’s attention
Should be in third person
Must fit the tone of the story
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/PiritaJuppi/characteristics-and-types-of-feature
A few types of leads Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm a) Descriptive- feature leads often starts by giving words that can paint a picture in the a person’s mind. Uses vivid detail and color to describe a person, things or events. This type is best sed for t ravelogues and personality sketches. Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead
Example: Tending to Muslim Hearts and Islam's Future By: Andrea Elliott
An Imam in America The young Egyptian professional could pass for any New York bachelor. Dressed in a crisp polo shirt and swathed in cologne, he races his Nissan Maxima through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan, late for a date with a tall brunette. At red lights, he fusses with his hair. Source: http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/7140
b) Anecdote- Uses short story to tell an interesting story, metaphors or events to demonstrate an aspect of an feature story. Example:
Courts Compound Pain of China‘s Tainted Milk
By: EDWARD WONG
BEIJING — The first sign of trouble was powder in the baby’s urine. Then there was blood. By the time the parents took their son to the hospital, he had no urine at all. Kidney stones were the problem, doctors told the parents. The baby died on May 1 in the hospital, just two weeks after the first symptoms appeared. His name was Yi Kaixuan. He was 6 months old. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/world/asia/17milk.html?em&_r=0
c) Quotation Lead – a direct quotation which stands out as the important element of the story. A dramatic way to introduce the topic of the article. Avoid ―famous quotes‖ if possible, using testimony from real people or experts. This type of lead rarely works because it is hard to find a perfect quote. Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead Example : ―I wish I could get more money for less work,‖ senior Amanda Weller, who is presently working at Shoprite, confessed. It was a feeling expressed by many, with student expenses rising and limited working time available.
Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm
d) Question Lead- it develops the c uriosity of the reader. Used to introduce the topic and arouse the interest of the reader. Example:
Have you ever wondered how you would survive if you found yourself alone in the wilderness? How would you defend yourself against predators? What would you eat? Where would you find water? Source: http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/organization/leads.html Components of A feature Article According to http://hosbeg.com/components-of-a-newspaper-feature-story/ 1. The focus of the feature A feature article must have a focus. A focus is the topic where the feature article is all about. The feature’s topic
must not be specific. 2. The Lead It grabs the attention of your reader. 3. The body of the feature After you persuade the reader’s attention it is the time to bring up the main topic of your feature. The body also
needs to be good so that the readers will not lose interest in the feature. 4. The ending of the feature
Just like the lead and body of t he feature, the end is also important. The common ways of ending a feature story are by telling a statement or quotes. There are two types of e nding; summary and twist. The summary , gives the general summary of the content. The twist is formed when the writer ends with statements w hich contrasts the lead or the intro.
Types of Feature 1. News Feature - offers a human-interest view on a hard news event. News features may cover same subjects as hard news but they do it in a greater depth. Background information is expounded.
Example : http://www.unicef.org/sowc97/download/newsfeat.pdf
Exploding the myths about child labour
VITOR , A 12-YEAR -OLD BOY, WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE WORKING ON A BUILDING SITE with his father. He was killed by a high-voltage shock from a live cable he inadvertently touched while operating a cement mixer. Vitor might have been one of the many millions of child labourers who work in developing countries in hazardous conditions. But he wasn‘t. He lived in Portugal and worked for his father‘s construction company. Child labour, as UNICEF‘s The State of the World’s Children 1997 report explains, is a complex, often misunderstood problem. The myths that surround it impede solutions, and the report examines those myths to help dispel them. One myth is that children work only in poor countries. In fact, children work all over the world, in both industrialized and developing countries, although it is in the developing world that most child labour takes place. Not all labour, however, is hazardous. It is the nature of the work children do and the conditions in which they labour — not the fact that they work — that determines how they are affected. In the industrialized world, children of ethnic minorities or immigrant groups are those most likely to do hazardous work, the report points out. In the United States, for example, a high proportion of children working in agriculture come from immigrant or ethnic-minority families. A 1990 survey of Mexican-American children working in the farms of New York state showed that almost half had worked in fields still wet with pesticides and over a third had themselves been sprayed. Refuting another myth, the report argues that the elimination of hazardous child labour does not have to wait until poverty is eliminated, even though poverty — particularly the exploitation of poverty — is an important contributing factor. ―However poor their families may be, children would not be harmed by work if there were not people prepared and able to exploit them,‖ the report says. There are a number of measures that can be taken immediately to reduce the impact of poverty that will help protect children and families from exploitation. Income-generating and credit schemes can alleviate some of the greatest pressures on poor people, as can the provision of basic services such as safe water, health care and education. In fact, education is key to keeping children
out of hazardous labour. Also distorting the picture of child labour is the perception that children in developing countries work primarily to produce consumer goods such as clothing and toys for consumers in rich countries. In fact, only a tiny minority of children work in the export sector. A great many more are doing the kind of work in which 10-year-old Maria is engaged as she weaves between the traffic in downtown Lima, Peru, selling chewing-gum to whoever will buy. Like Maria, children are involved in a wide range of different jobs outside the export sector. A 1995 study in Bangladesh identified 300 such jobs, ranging from brick-making to stone-breaking, street-hawking to rag-picking. The vast majority of children work for their families or in agriculture or hidden away in houses, far from the reach of the official labour inspectors. ―If we allow the notion that the most exploited child workers are all in the industrial export sector to take hold, we would do a grave disservice to that great majority of children who labour in virtual invisibility,‖ says the report. Connected to this notion is another myth: that the only way to counter child labour is through government sanctions and consumer boycotts initiated in developed countries. Such sweeping measures would affect export production only, one of the smallest parts of the child labour problem. Sanctions and boycotts are blunt instruments that can do more harm than good, when they simply throw children out of work without simultaneously offering them and their families other ways to survive and improve their lives. The report looks at the impact that the mere threat of one such measure, the Harkin Bill in the US, had on the thousands of children involved in the garment industry in Bangladesh, who were immediately let go by their employers. UNICEF advocates a comprehensive strategy against hazardous child labour, including compulsory education for children and employment for parents. Although much remains to be done, much has already been accomplished to eliminate hazardous child labour and the damage it does to children. Projeto Axé in Brazil, for example, is an imaginative programme that offers literacy and skills training to children living and working on the streets in the town of Salvador. ―The most important thing,‖ says Axé‘s founder Cesare de Florio La Rocca, ―is to stimulate the child to dream and wish, and to offer a number of concrete opportunities to help the child realize those dreams.‖ The Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) is grappling with the exploitation of children in the beedi (tobacco) rolling industry in India‘s Tamil Nadu state. Most children begin working in that industry to pay their parents‘ debts, so CLASS has concentrated on providing new and less rapacious sources of credit for poor families. In addition, project staff have recognized that the best alternative to child labour is to offer high-quality, relevant schooling to children, something very much missing in many countries. So CLASS has pioneered the retraining of elementary teachers to be more participative and enthusiastic in their techniques, using a simple approach called ‗joyful learning‘. There are also projects aimed specifically at encouraging and educating the media about child labour. Since 1989, for example, a media advocacy group called PRESSHOPE has been working in the Philippines to involve both television and print media in child protection. The group is building on the success of a community organization that used an imaginative campaign to put the question of child prostitution in Pagsanjan on the national and international agendas. 2. Informative Feature – a feature that shows practical information about a subject. It educates readers in an entertaining way. Example (http://www.gemsociety.org/article/tools-tools-tools-the-fundamentals/)
Tools, tools, tools:
The fundamentals by Helen Goga
The dictionary defines ability as 'the quality that makes an action or process possible; the capacity or power to do something; cleverness, talent'. Wire artists know that their success lies in their ability to handle their tools and control the wire; the ability to use hand tools has a direct impact on the wire. So it comes as no surprise that, whenever wire artists meet, they should talk about wire and what neat tools they have just bought. In fact, talking about pliers is probably the one thing they are most willing to share. But, make no mistake -- "You toucha my pliers, I breaka you face!" Their love of hand tools is not the only thing they have in common. Many are confirmed toolaholics and are proud of it. Legends have been shared about particular artists and the incredible number of tools they own; these stories often precede them. This poses many questions, such as: Why?, What early life trauma led them to this? and Have they ever considered seeking help? When watching a wire artist choose their hand tools, you will notice their nimble fingers expertly sliding up the handle and over the jaws while the vinyl cushion grips slip into their waiting palm. These artists are adept with their hands, but some careful observers have reported seeing a quick, frisky pinch of the vinyl. You might hear a soft exhalation and a just-audible moan as their eyelids flutter for an instant, or you may see them replace the pliers with a "hmph" and an air of dismissal. What are they looking for? As a general rule, not much. But that "not much" is sure hard to find. F or example, when evaluating round-nose pliers, the wire artist is looking for a truly ROUND jaw -- not one that is oval, or has ridges or flat spots, because they know all of their loops, coils and circles will reflect whatever they have seen and felt on the surface on the jaw. This jaw must be smooth so as to not scratch the surface of the metal. The artist will also judge the space between the jaws, determining whether the wire will be held securely; if the space is too wide, the wire will slip. Inexpensive pliers
It is very likely that the first pair of pliers ever purchased by our wire artist friend were inexpensive ones that didn't la st because of their construction. Box-joint construction outlasts and outperforms all other types; it keeps its precise alignment, never loosening or wobbling, and opens and closes smoothly. Knowing the long hours they will be holding the pliers, the artist tests how it feels in their hand; the tool must feel comfortable. Manufacturers understand this need, offering plastic- and foam-grip handles. This not only provides grip but gives some insulating qualities. The same criteria apply when evaluating flat-nose pliers but, because the pliers will be used for different purposes, a few more attributes are added to the "wish list." For example, flat-nose pliers come in different sizes; the size will determine their application. Wide-nose pliers could be used to bend over the end of the wire when you begin your bindings, but wouldn't work well for tight spots such as those in many of the ring designs. Tapered, slim, flat-nose pliers would work well for these. As the inside surface of flat-nose pliers may be either smooth or serrated, the wire artist makes sure that the surface is smooth. Cutter and nippers may be purchased as sidecutters or end cutters. The shape of the edges of the jaw will determine how the ends of the wire will be cut, allowing for either a flush or semi-flush cut. A flush cut is one in which the edge of the wire is cut off squarely, whereas a semi-flush cut leaves a point on the end of the wire. Depending on the need and the desired end result, both types of pliers and both types of cuts are useful.
These are the three basic tools required to start a career as a wire artist jeweller. There are combinations of these, such as pliers that have one round-nose jaw with an opposing flat-nose jaw, rosary pliers (which are round-nose pliers with a side cutter) and so on. Specialty pliers
There are, as well, specialty pliers such as coiling pliers or bent needle-nose. When an artist needs the tapered jaw of a needle-nose plier but the flat surface of a flat-nose plier, they may use chain-nose pliers, appreciating that the jaw edges are bevelled to prevent the marring of soft wire. The choice made is a matter of pers onal preference and technique. All one has to do is check out catalogues of tools, supplies and equipment for technicians and craftsmen to see all the variations and choices available. Complementary to these hand tools, wire artists frequently use pin vises, ring mandrels, jewelry (or bench) vises, calipers, rulers, pocket- or penknives, jewelers' files, ring sizers and an opti-visor. In defence of all the many plier enthusiasts you may meet, wire art is really a study of how wire is successfully manipulated into a certain shape. The tool used to do this is is just an extension of the artist's hand and should be used to guide the wire into place without undue pressure or force. Because the tool is so critical, it comes under scrutiny. As an artist becomes more involved with the artform and begins to play with design, it is inevitable that specific tools begin to find an exact use; ergo, the 101 pliers. 3. Personality profile - a story which reveal the personality of someone trough anecdotes, incidents and quotes. Example
Momma by Pfc. David Alberti It‘s 7 a.m. on an already warm Monday morning. As the soldier stands in line at the Consolidated Dining Facility, he squints through hungover eyes at the eggs being mercilessly beaten to a syrupy, yellow-white glop that will soon be his omelet breakfast. His head hurts. His whiskey-tortured stomach feels as if it is in the early stages of rigor mortis. He wants to go back to bed. He wants to go home. He wants his mother. ―Now, honey. It can‘t be that bad!‖ says a voice from behind the grill. ―Momma, it can be that bad,‖ moans the young soldier. ―Momma‖ laughs a warm, compassionate laugh and hands the man his plate. ―Here, soldier, you put a little hot sauce on them eggs. If it don‘t make that head feel a little better, it‘ll sure make you forget it for a while!‖ The soldier smiles, and it doesn‘t hurt so much. That‘s what Momma does, and that‘s why she‘s ―Momma.‖ ―Momma‖ is really Johnetta Colbert, the senior server and union steward at the CDF. But for the last three of her seven years here and to hundreds of soldiers who have passed through Fort Harrison, she has been known affectionately as ―Momma.‖ Momma is a large, black woman. She is only 5 feet, 4 inches tall, but she is ―large‖ in a stro ng, maternal way. Her clear, dark eyes and soft, smooth, lineless complexion give her back 20 of her 50 years. ―I ain‘t got no children of my own,‖ she confided. ―My and Earl, my husband, we were married 21 years and always wanted ‗em. But we‘re separated ... been separated seven years now.‖ Her voice trailed off, then picked up. ―But now I‘ve got hundreds of kids. These soldiers like their Momma cookin‘ ‗em breakfast.‖ And Momma has been cooking breakfast for the troops at Fort Harrison for seven years. When she and her husband separated in 1974, Momma moved from St. Louis, where she was born, to Indianapolis, where she had a close
friend. How did she end up working in a mess hall? ―I needed a job! You ain‘t got nothin‘ if you ain‘t got a j ob. Everybody‘s g ot to have work,‖ she laughed. Momma has worked all of her life, starting at the age of 16, cleaning and canning fish in a St. Louis fishery in 1947. She stayed at it for 27 years until she came to Indianapolis. The morning shift that Momma works six days a week starts serving the troops at 5:30 a.m. In order to catch the Fort Harrison bus from her home in the city, she gets up at 4 a.m. Yet she always shows sympathy to the yawning soldiers who file past her each morning. ―Once in a while I get a smart alec or some wise guy in line. I don‘t get mad at ‗em, just give ‗em a good looking at‖ -- she squinted her eyes, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow -- ―and that usually gets my point across.‖ ―People is people,‖ she explained. ―God says to treat everyone like you‘d want to be treated. Smile and try and be happy.‖ She feels the soldier has it hard sometimes ... ―they (soldiers) deserve a smile and a good meal more than most!‖ Momma feels a strong responsibility toward the soldiers she feeds. ―She‘s very professional, very picky about the food and service the troops get,‖ said Walter W. Trotter III, one of Momma‘s co -workers. ―She tries to keep everybody working, and in a good mood if she can.‖ As the union steward of the dining facility, things are not alway s that simple. ―If there‘s a problem (with management) she tries to work it out first,‖ Trotter continued. ―But if it‘s the worker who‘s the problem, she‘s the first one to kick ‗em in the rear.‖ Momma is working toward retirement now. ―I get tired sometim es, and I sure would like to know I could wake up tomorrow and know I don‘t have to go to work.‖ She looked down at her strong, scarred hands and added, ―But I guess after doin‘ somethin‘ for a while, you‘d miss it if you left it.‖ After these long years of hard work and long hours, Momma finds strength in her church, the Freedom Baptist Church in Indianapolis. Active as a member of the missionary board, board of trustees and an alto in the choir, Momma said she‘d like to work for the church when she leaves the mess hall and her troops. ―Maybe I‘d work at our (church‘s) day-care center.‖ She smiled her warm maternal smile at the thought and added, ―Yeah. I guess I‘d like workin‘ with the little kids if I could.‖ Johnetta Colbert, ―Momma‖ to so many young men and women, finishes work at 2 p.m. each day and walks to the bus stop on strong but tired legs. No family welcomes her home. But each morning weary soldiers come to Mrs. Colbert to find a smile and a laugh and the hot meal that she serves so well. That‘s what Momma does. That‘s why she‘s Momma. Source: http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/Personality_Feature_Writing_Tips_E70A30F5B1D74.pdf 4. Human Interest feature- a short piece , told in a very entertaining way , concentrates on emotionally appealing subjects. Example Contemplating the mystery of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde By Jeff Louderback What happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde? To this day, many adventure seekers who pass along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and are aware of the Hyde story contemplate the answer to that long-lived question.
In 1928, the Hydes were a newlywed couple attempting to run the ferocious rapids of the Colorado River. If they had succeeded, Bessie would have been the first known woman to accomplish the feat. Instead, they were last seen on the river in November 1928, and they were never heard from again. The Hydes met on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles in 1927. They were married on April 12, 1928 – on the 16th anniversary of the Titanic sinking and a day after Bessie‘s divorce from her first husband was finalized. Glen was an expert boat builder who had rafting experience traversing the Salmon and S nake rivers in Idaho a couple years earlier. Bessie was more of a novice. Glen built a 20-foot-long wooden sweep scow and the couple embarked on a honeymoon adventure down the Green and Colorado rivers in October 1928. To Glen, it was more than just a casual float. He was committed to setting a new speed record for traveling through the Grand Canyon, and he wanted Bessie to make history as the first documented woman to run the canyon. According to Bessie‘s detailed journal, the couple was ahead of schedule and making remarkable progress. The couple stopped to resupply on November 16, hiking along the Bright Angel Trail where they met brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, legendary photographers who operated a cliffside studio.
Glen and Bessie knocked on the studio door and introduced themselves to the Kolbs, explaining that they were honeymooners who had been rafting on the river for 26 days. The Kolb brothers said that the couple asked to have their photo taken on the canyon rim, and they would return to retrieve it after the trip was completed. According to Emory Kolb, Glen said that they did not have life preservers, a comment that evoked a warning from Kolb that Glen responded to with a laugh. Bessie, Emory Kolb said, looked nervous about the remaining journey ahead. As Glen and Bessie prepared to depart and walk down the trail to their boat, Emory Kolb‘s daughter Emily appeared, nicely dressed. Bessie remarked, ―I wonder if I shall ever wear pretty shoes again.‖ Some historians have noted that a man named Adolph G. Sutro accompanied the couple back into the canyon, taking photographs and even riding a short distance with them in the boat. If this is true, Sutro was likely the last person to see them alive. By early December, Glen and Bessie had not been heard from. Emory Kolb initiated a search of the area that included a small plane that flew through the inner gorge of the canyon. The pilot saw the Hydes‘ scow snagged in the rocks on the river. When the rescue party – which included Kolb – reached the boat, they found everything securely packed. Food, clothing, books and even Bessie‘s journal were neatly in place. A camera found in the boat revealed the final photo to have been shot near river mile 165 on or about November 27. Glen‘s father, Reith Hyde, hired a group of men to search the canyon within the area where Glen and Bessie likely traveled. Days, weeks and months passed with no success. Because of the story‘s romance, along with the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the couple‘s fate, a myriad of legends and theories have surfaced over the years. One theory suggests that Glen was an abusive husband whose prolonged exposure to the extreme conditions of the canyon heightened his nasty behavior. It is speculated by some pe ople that Bessie grew tired of the rough treatment of her new husband, murdered him and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life. Many of Glen‘s friends and family members discounted that theory; however, stating that he was not an a busive person and that he dearly loved Bessie. Another story supports the speculation that Bessie shot and killed Glen because of his abusive tendencies. Some friends of Georgie Clark, a woman who gained notoriety for her rafting adventures in the Grand C anyon, speculate that she was Bessie Hyde. Conversations about Clark‘s connections to Bessie started when friends were perusing her personal items following her death in 1992. People who had known her for decades had never been invited inside her home.
Upon looking at Cl ark‘s personal effects, her friends learned that her birth certificate indicated that her real name was Bessie DeRoss, not Georgie. Clark or Georgie White (which was another surname she sometimes used). The latter two were the last names of husbands she had divorced. Her friends‘ curiosity was further peaked when they found the marriage license of Glen and Bessie Hyde at her home, and a pistol in her lingerie drawer. Colorado River historian Brad Dimock – whose book, ―Sunk Without a Sound – The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde,‖ investigates the couple‘s story and the subsequent theories – looked at the items from Clark‘s home and concluded from photographs that Clark and Bessie Hyde were not the same person.
Richard Westwood, who wrote a biography about Clark, has also said that there is little proof to substantiate the theory that Clark was actually Bessie Hyde.
Many historians surmise that another theory likely describes what happened to the Hydes. Glen a nd Bessie, according to this opinion, accidentally drowned in the Colorado River. According to historians, the mile 232 rapid was not well-known and was not charted in 1928, yet it is regarded as one of the most brutal areas of the river. The Hydes did not have the appropriate equipment to tackle this rapid, it is speculated. Those who crave a romantic tale have said that Bessie fell into the rapids, Glen leaped in to save her and both drowned. In the 1970s, two additional stories surfaced regarding Bessie Hyde. In 1971, an elderly woman on a commercial boat tour spoke up when the story of Glen and Bessie Hyde was told by a guide during a campfire dinner. The woman claimed that she was Bessie and that, after she had enough of her husband‘s abusive behavior during the trip, she napped, stabbed him, left him for dead and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life. The guide told about the woman‘s claims, and researchers looked into the story. They determined that, though the woman resembled Bessie with her features and her height, she was a retired psychologist who liked to tell tales. Though it could not be proven that, without a doubt, the woman was not Bessie Hyde, her claim was discounted, keeping the legend of what happened to the Hydes alive.
In 1976, skeletal remains with a bullet inside the skull were found on the canyon rim on the property that belonged to Emory Kolb, who was reportedly one of the last people to see the Hydes alive. Eventually, though, a forensic investigation found that the skeleton belonged to a man no older than 22 who died no earlier than 1972, which ruled out Glen Hyde. Today, the question of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde remains unanswered. Like the Hydes during their ill-fated honeymoon expedition, adventure seekers today can encounter areas of the Grand Canyon that can only be seen from the water – like emerald pools, hidden waterfalls, colorful flowers and thriving wildlife. Grand Canyon Expeditions offers eight-day motorized boat tours and 14-day to 16-day Dory boat trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The guided tours include hiking remote areas of the canyon, learning about the natural splendor and scintillating history of the area, swimming in side canyons and running class IV whitewater rapids. The Grand Canyon features a diverse and majestic geological extravaganza. It stretches for 277 miles, measures from four to 18 miles in width, and averages a mile in depth. Covering more than 1.2 million acres, the semi-arid canyon consists of raised plateaus, steep-walled canyons, desert basins at lower elevations and forests at higher elevations. Canyon walls provide wide-ranging fossil specimens, a vast array of geological features and rock types, and numerous caves. Though the Grand Canyon is a desert, it is teeming with plants and wildlife. Cactus and wildflowers dot the riverbanks as well as cool glens with tumbling waterfalls and ferns. Grand Canyon Expeditions passengers might see bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats along the riverbanks and in tributary canyons. Hawks, golden eagles, falcons, great blue herons and egrets fly overhead.
The eight-day excursions cover the entire 277 miles of the canyon, beginning at Lees Ferry, Arizona (in Grand Canyon National Park) and ending at Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. During the adventure, passengers will negotiate nearly 200 exciting white water rapids in safety and first-class comfort. For people who want to experience the grandeur of the river and the canyon at a more leisurely pace, Grand Canyon Expeditions offers the 14-day to 16-day Dory trips. Sturdy wooden vessels that are designed to withstand the rigors of whitewater, Dory boats allow passengers to see the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon much like Powell and his men. Source : http://www.jefflouderback.com/contemplating-the-mystery-of-what-happened-to-glen-and-bessie-hyde/ 5. Historical Feature – story about interesting aspect of a historical subject Example Glen Arbor commemorates September 11 attacks By: Jacob Wheeler Sun editor More than 200 patriotic Americans, local townspeople and students from two high schools attended an emotionally stirring September 11 Memorial Service at the Glen Lake Fire Department this morning — an annual event in Glen Arbor to remember the fallen, to honor those that serve in uniform and risk their lives for our communities and our nation, and as a reminder that evil still exists today in a dangerous world. - See more at The 70-minute ceremony featured the Glen Lake School Choir singing the ―Star Spangled Banner‖, ―God Bless America‖ and ―A Prayer for Tomorrow‖; bagpipers playing ―Amazing Grace‖, as is traditionally done at New York City funerals for fallen police and firemen, and the ―Taps‖ farewell salute, by Norm Wheeler and William Brodin. At 8:43 a.m., the moment when the first hijacked airplane hit the Twin Towers 12 years ago, the fire station bells sounded their mournful chimes, followed by one minute of silence. Glen Lake Fire Chief John Dodson officiated the service, which also featured remarks by Glen Lake Community Reformed Church Reverend Andy Bossardet, and a history lesson from Major General Mike Lehnert, who lives in nearby Elk Rapids and is a veteran of military campaigns in Panama, Kuwait and Iraq. Paying homage to local families who serve, Lehnert recalled driving by a house on M-72 this morning that boasts three Marine flags — one for every son in uniform, whose sons Kevin, Keith and Kyle and all in the Marine Corps.) Acknowledging that soldiers are often honored for their service, while firemen receive little credit for their sacrifice, Lehnert concluded his remarks by turning and saluting the Glen Lake firemen. Glen Arbor resident Ted Peterson designed the memorial which sits in front of the Fire Department and features a beam that was salvaged from the wreckage at Ground Zero standing over a reflecting pool. Peterson spoke about his inspiration for ―making complex art out of simple topics‖, but in this case ―making simple art out of complex topics‖. The beam came from the Twin Towers wreckage and arrived in Glen Arbor last year. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and Leelanau County resident Taro), whose father helped design the Twin Towers in Manhattan, also created an emotionally moving video (together with Julie Weeks) about the f amilies of firemen lost in the terrorist attacks. Watch the slideshow below: Finally, the memorial service featured sobering photos of the smoking wreckage at Ground Zero in the days after the terrorist attack. Anthony Miller, an Native American ironworker from near by Peshawbestown, traveled to New York immediately after learning of the tragedy and spent 40 days there aiding the dangerous cleanup effort in the still smoldering wreckage. ―We‘d cut iron, the big stuff, and trim it down to a size that it could be loaded on a truck and hauled away,‖ Miller told the Leelanau Enterprise. ―The air was thick. The wreckage burned for weeks.‖
Source: http://glenarborsun.com/glen-arbor-commemorates-september-11-attacks/
6. How to do feature - explains how to do something . It explains how to make or do things that are uncommon to us. Example How to Save Money on Food Author: Janis Cormier If you think that I‘m going to divulge the best couponing strategies or reveal secrets about how to shop the sales at your local supermarket, well, you‘re wrong. What I want to tell you about is how to save money on food…by growing your own. And before you start moaning that you can‘t because you have a ―black thumb‖ or you haven‘t any room to grow fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit I‘m going to tell you how easy it is. All you need is a corner of your yard, or a balcony, or if you haven‘t either of these rent a plot in a nearby community garden.
An amazing amount of food can be grown in a small space if you use intensive planting methods and that food will be tastier and fresher than any thing you‘ll buy from the store, and cost less too! Of course if you lack knowledge about how to grow, or what crops can be grown where you live you should probably enlist some help. Ask questions at your local garden centre, they can advise you on local conditions. Companies like West Coast Seeds publish catalogues that are chock full of helpful information. But the best resource is a garden buddy, preferrably someone with decades of gardening experience who you can call (or email) with all your stupid questions who will patiently explain the arcane art of coaxing food f rom those tiny little specks or lumpy bumpy spheres inside of vegetable seed packages. Your Hortophile friend will happily tell you about the power of compost, which organic fertilizers you should invest in, and when to harvest your potatoes. A big part of growing food successfully depends upon your local climate; you need to know when the last (and first) frost dates are in an average year. And if you live somewhere that never sees frost, that‘s important too! But the single most important requirement for a successful garden is attached to the bottoms of your legs – your feet! As an old gardener once told me, ―The best fertilizer for a garden is the footsteps of the gardener‖.
You must pa y attention to what‘s happening, spend at least a few minutes each day in your garden, checking to see if your veggies need some water or are drowning, monitoring for pests and watching for signs of disease. It‘s not a bad way to defuse after a busy day at work; strolling around the garden observing the progress of your crops, perhaps harvesting something for dinner. Gardening is addictive and contagious; once you‘ve spent a season or two experimenting with growing your own food you might find the neighbours asking YOU for advice about growing food. And that would be beneficial for all our neighborhoods, leading to better food security, helping others learn how to save money on food and building greener and friendlier communities.
Source: http://technorati.com/women/article/how-to-save-money-on-food/
Activity Determine what type of lead was used in each number. 1. Penmanship suffers in computer age
By Lini S. Kadaba Knight Ridder News Service Friday, August 27, 1999 PHILADELPHIA -- Welcome to Camp HandRIGHTing Ink., a place to mind one's p's and q's and other details of proper penmanship.This is a place for children to practice putting pencil to paper -- something that has become a necessity in the age of computers. Source: .( http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/conspiracies-up-in-the-sky/story-e6frg6z61226817968777#mm-premium)
2.
How to look hot in the heat BY: GLYNIS TRAILL-NASH- THE AUSTRALIAN HAVING spent 25 years in Perth, you'd think I would know how to dress in summer. Stylishly surviving a season when the temperature is consistently more than 35C should be second nature. Alas, no. The only way I ever found to cope with severe heat was in a tepid bath with very cold champagne, but at some point you have to leave the house. Ditto lounging around the house in vintage slips trying to channel Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Butterfield 8. And failing. Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/fashion/how-to-look-hot-in-the-heat/story-e6frg8k61226817932781
3. Banking on a bush lifeline BY: SUE NEALES THE AUSTRALIAN
FARMERS in drought-stricken Queensland simply refer to it as The Letter. The dreaded formal note telling them that their bank - and it could be Suncorp, Rabobank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Landmark or the Commonwealth - wants to revalue their property and start discussing mediation. Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/banking-on-a-bush-lifeline/story-e6frg6z6-1226817011036# 4. Giving on the go BY MICHELLE ROWE THE AUSTRALIAN THIRTEEN boys are writing earnestly in exercise books while sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor. The room, devoid of desks, chairs and blackboard, is in the central west of Bhutan at a monastery-based school that lacks even the most basic educational equipment. I am visiting Khuruthang Lhakhang to sample a philanthropic program run by Amanresorts, one of a growing number of accommodation and tour operators that invite travellers to lend a hand in some of the world's poorest communities. Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/giving-on-the-go/story-e6frg9zo-1226816993199
5 Bumps in road to prosperity BY HENRY ERGAS THE AUSTRALIAN "CECILY, you will read your Political Economy in my absence", Miss Prism instructs the young heiress in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. But, the prudish governess hastens to add, "the chapter on the Fall of the Rupee you may omit. It is somewhat too sensational. Even these metallic problems have their melodramatic side." Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/bumps-in-road-to-prosperity/story-fn7078da1226815294831# Activity Write a feature lead for each number.
1. A study at the University of Michigan shatters some myths. The results were announced today. Women have a reputation for gossiping and talking, yet the study found the reputation is undeserved. The study, which required researchers to observe a number of people at work, found that women work both longer and harder than men — that men spend more time goofing off on the job. The study found that the average employed man spends 52 minutes, or 11 percent of each working day, not working: in scheduled coffee breaks, unscheduled rest breaks, at lunch beyond the normal hour and so forth. The average working woman spends only 35 minutes, or 8 percent of her working day, in such scheduled and unscheduled rest breaks. The same study found that the amount of effort expended by women at work is 112 percent that of men. The discrepancy is more dramatic than the statistics indicate because men earn more than women for the same type of work. The average man in the study earned $13 an hour, compared to 9.34 for the average woman. The women tended to hold mainly clerical jobs, but those in managerial positions also outperformed their male counterparts. 2. Many freebies no longer are free. Because of rising expenses and other problems, American business establishments are eliminating many services and other amenities once offered their customers free of charge. Many of the services that gasoline stations used to offer for free to attract customers have gone the way of the dinosaurs — they have become extinct. Gasoline stations no longer wash windshields, and many no longer even provide the squeegee, the windshield cleaner or the towels so customers can do it themselves. One station owner said he quit offering the service because his customers reportedly were using too many cleaning towels, which cost a two cents each. Service stations have also discontinued free giveaways — free car washes with a fillup, free glasses and steak knives, free road maps — because of the increasing costs of the freebies. "We can't justify the cost of the freebies. We don't make much profit on a gallon of gas and if you start giving things away to attract customers, we end up making nothing. We found that we weren't getting enough new customers to cover the cost of the free items," said Cecil LaCette, manager of Southside Service. Some gasoline stations restrict the use of their washroom facilities and charge for the air used to inflate tires. LaCette said: "When you buy new clothes, you no longer expect to receive a free wooden or plastic hanger. When men buy a pair of slacks, alterations — which used to always be free — may cost $10 to $20." Along with the disappearance of those items go free giftwrapping, which was benefit to many last-minute holiday shoppers. Coffee or soda refills, once free at many restaurants, no longer are free. And many restaurants serve water only upon request. 3. Someone called 18 people in the city last night. The caller identified himself as the president of Rutherford Ford, Inc., 2780 Doss Boulevard. He told each of the people that they had just won a new car from his dealership. Interviewed by reporters today, most of the people who received the calls said that at first they just couldn't believe it. And they were right. They couldn't. The person who called was a prankster, and Allen Rutherford, president of the dealership, says he has no idea who placed he calls, and that he's spending all his time today trying to explain the situation to those 18 people. "Someone appa rently has a sick idea of humor," Rutherford said. After convincing people they had won a new car, the caller asked them to drop by the dealership this morning to pick it up. All 18 were there when the dealership opened its doors at 9 a.m. "I told them we never offered to give away a car," Rutherford said. "One woman told me she couldn't believe she'd won, and then she told me she couldn't believe it when I told her she hadn't. Two other women began to cry, and a man is threatening to sue me." 4. The police in this municipality received a call at 3:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon. A woman shouted at the sergeant who answered the telephone. She said: "My son's been beaten. His teacher whipped him this afternoon, and he's all red where she paddled him. Can teachers do that? That's assault and battery, and I want her arrested." Two
police officers were sent to the home. They questioned the boy, who is 9 years old. At his mother's insistence, the police officers also inspected the boy's reported injuries. They reported: "We couldn't tell that the boy had been paddled. His fanny didn't look red to us, but we did notice that his pants legs were wet and muddy. As we talked, it became obvious that he boy was lying. He finally admitted that he had stopped to play on the way home from school, forgot the time and got home late. He told his mother that the teacher had spanked him and kept him after school. His mother was there with us and heard the whole story. She said she'd take of the situation, and we're quite certain that she will, as she was very embarrassed. In fact, we could hear her giving the kid a real paddling as we left — and a hard one." 5. Thomas J. Serle works for Parker Bros. Circus, which is in town this week. Performances are scheduled at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day through Sunday, beginning today. Serle, who maintains a home in Fort Lauderdale, is a laborer who helps care for the animals at the circus, including 10 elephants. During a conversation with a reporter, he said: "Some people look on work with a circus as a glamorous job. It ain't. But I been doing it all my life, and it's too late for me to change. I'll be 60 next year. I was born into it. Both my folks were circus people. I started out as an acrobat until I fell and busted a leg. It never healed quite right, so they offered me this job, and I took it. What else could I do? There's all kinds of myths about circuses, like about these elephants here. Some people say they're afraid of mice, but that's crazy. When we pen the elephants up for the winter there's always mice that get in their hay, and it don't bother them none. The elephants never try to run away or stomp them or anything. They share the same cages all winter. And then some people say elephants got a good memory. Hell, some of the ones we got are so dumb they can't remember a simple trick from one year to the next."
Quiz Write a feature article given the information below.
1. Seven million Filipinos visit Wattpad every month, coming second behind Americans and ahead of users from United Kingdom, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Turkey, India, Germany and Spain. Filipinos are the second biggest users of the world's biggest online reading and storytelling platform Wattpad, according to latest data from social media monitor SocialBakers. There are currently 300,000 completed stories coming from Filipinos. Twenty-three percent of Wattpad's Android traffic also comes from the Philippines. Wattpad co-founder and chief executive officer Allan Lau said HaveYouSeenThisGirL‘s Wattpad story, 'The Diary of An Ugly Girl,' is poised to become the Philippines‘ best -selling book this year. Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/01/30/1284837/filipinos-among-top-users-worlds-largestebook-community 2.
Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) delivers letters, cards, flowers, chocolates and toys in time for Valentine‘s Day To receive letters is more traditional and romantic. It would be better if it is accompanied by roses and chocolates,‖ Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said they are reviving their ―Love Express via PhlPost,‖ a special delivery service, from Feb 10 until Feb. 14.
Stalls would be put up on the ground floor of the Main Central Post Office at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila Dela Cruz said a team of letter carriers, the Express Elite Force, would deliver the items via Domestic Express Mail Service (DEMS) The current rate for DEMS is P60 for the first 20 grams within the National Capital Region and P70 for delivery in areas outside Metro Manila
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/09/1288323/phlpost-revives-love-express
3. Headline: Warning issued vs chat rooms, online dating
MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos using chat rooms and online dating sites to find love or meet people, be warned. The Bureau of Customs is urging the public to be on guard against individuals who prey on single men and women who use dating service websites, chat rooms and social media sites. The scam starts with a suspect befriending a victim online, spending weeks or even months building up a romantic relationship with the lonely and vulnerable victim through email. The perpetrators, who claim to come from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, promise potential victims packages containing luxury bags, jewelry, electronic gadgets and even money that would be sent to them once they pay purported customs duties and taxes.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/ Quiz 2 1. Headline : INFOGRAPHIC: The sexual and internet behaviour of the Filipino youth
According to a recent study by the University of the Philippines (UP) Population Institute, the prevalence of premarital sex and teenage pregnancy among young Filipinos has increased over the past years. The research findings showed that majority of today‘s young Filipinos had their first premarital sex experience without the use of condom or any other form of contraception to prevent pregnancy or sexually-transmitted disease. Dr. Josefina Natividad said in her presentation of the study's conclusion that the rise of the new forms of sexual activity and new means of meeting sexual partners may also be attributed to today's new technologies.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/
3. Headline; Pinoy romance: Sense of humor trumps good looks
Nine out of 10 Filipinos find people with a sense of humor more attractive than those with just good looks, a survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed yesterday. The survey, conducted face-to-face with 1,550 adults from Dec. 11 to 16 last year, said only 10 percent of the respondents chose ―good looks‖ over ―sense of humor‖ in finding a man or a woman attractive. Source: http://www.philstar.com/
Quiz 3 : INFOGRAPHIC: Filipinos 3rd heaviest drinkers in the world
Euromonitor said that adults in the Philippines each take 5.4 shots of distilled alcohol weekly, making the country third in the list of the world's heaviest drinkers.
.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/
2.
This was what Rock Ed Philippines founder Gang Badoy-Capati realized after getting her wish done by a soldier she had known only as ―Manny Sundalo‖ from whom she had requested for an airlift for victims of the Florida bus accident in Mountain Province early this month. ―Manny Sundalo‖ would turn out to be Armed Forces chief of staff Manuel Bautista. ―I was given a number to call so I can request for airlifts for the critical care survivors during the Florida bus crash in Bontoc. Someone gave me a number saying ‗ito, sund alo, si Manny - matutulungan ka niyan, kilala mo yan (this one is a soldier. He can help you. You know him),‖ she narrated. ―I bugged Manny Sundalo and was a bit stern and firm, told him, ‗Sir, aasahan ko yang helicopter ha ng 5 am sa Bontoc (Sir, I expect that helicopter at 5 am in Bontoc).‘ And he was really listo (smart) and said, ‗Yes Ma‘am, I guarantee it,‘‖ she said. The Rock Ed Philippines founder said that when they got to Bontoc, ―the Air Force was there, available, willing (and) efficient.‖ ―They flew everyone as best they could. Done and done. I was so grateful. So I (messaged) Manny the soldier again and said ‗thank you,‘ broke the news that Mylo (Cabardo, one of the victims) didn‘t make it but we were grateful for the chance to try everything fo r his family,‖ said Badoy -Capati. She said Manny called her back and said, ―At your service, Ma‘am, condolence, sorry about your friends.‖
Badoy said she was surprised upon learning that she had been dealing with the country‘s top soldier all along.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/20/1292428/manny-sundalo-rescue 3.
The Axe Apollo Academy declared Crossfit MNL trainer Chino Roque as the first Filipino astronaut, joining 24 others from all over the world in a trip to space Spaceman Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, declared Roque as a winner at the awarding ceremonies held at the Rocket Garden of the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida. Roque beat compatriots Evan Ray Datuin and Ramil Santos for the chance to go to space after his performance in the air combat, G force and assault training rounds of the test. Roque joined the competition as a replacement to Air Force Lieutenant Mario Mendoza who had to withdraw from the competition to serve his duties to the military.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2013/12/06/1 264978/fitness-trainer-declared-first-filipino-astronaut
Characteristics
Longer than a hard news
Creative use of language
Have different styles of writing
Entertaining
Need more time to do
Allows personal opinions
Timeless
May provide solutions
Differences Between Feature and News
Feature vs. news contents News
Feature
Must be current
Timely or timeless
Statements by powerful people
Personal observation and experiences, anecdote
Feature vs. news style News
Feature
Inverted pyramid
Narrative structure
Non-chronological
Chronological
Concise articles
Long articles
Lead: most important facts
Lead: grabs the attention of the reader
Style : “matter of fact” reporting
Style : Personal, colorful, humorous
Lead Leads in feature stories have opening sentences which grabs the attention of the reader. It can be done by using arousing and interesting words. The lead must catch the tone of the story. A lead may be sarcastic, ironic, serious or humorous. Leads are:
Often longer than one sentences
Chance to grab the reader’s attention
Should be in third person
Must fit the tone of the story
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/PiritaJuppi/characteristics-and-types-of-feature
A few types of leads Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm a) Descriptive- feature leads often starts by giving words that can paint a picture in the a person’s mind. Uses vivid detail and color to describe a person, things or events. This type is best sed for t ravelogues and personality sketches. Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead
Example: Tending to Muslim Hearts and Islam's Future By: Andrea Elliott
An Imam in America The young Egyptian professional could pass for any New York bachelor. Dressed in a crisp polo shirt and swathed in cologne, he races his Nissan Maxima through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan, late for a date with a tall brunette. At red lights, he fusses with his hair. Source: http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/7140
b) Anecdote- Uses short story to tell an interesting story, metaphors or events to demonstrate an aspect of an feature story. Example:
Courts Compound Pain of China‘s Tainted Milk
By: EDWARD WONG
BEIJING — The first sign of trouble was powder in the baby’s urine. Then there was blood. By the time the parents took their son to the hospital, he had no urine at all. Kidney stones were the problem, doctors told the parents. The baby died on May 1 in the hospital, just two weeks after the first symptoms appeared. His name was Yi Kaixuan. He was 6 months old. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/world/asia/17milk.html?em&_r=0
c) Quotation Lead – a direct quotation which stands out as the important element of the story. A dramatic way to introduce the topic of the article. Avoid ―famous quotes‖ if possible, using testimony from real people or experts. This type of lead rarely works because it is hard to find a perfect quote. Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead Example : ―I wish I could get more money for less work,‖ senior Amanda Weller, who is presently working at Shoprite, confessed. It was a feeling expressed by many, with student expenses rising and limited working time available.
Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm
d) Question Lead- it develops the c uriosity of the reader. Used to introduce the topic and arouse the interest of the reader. Example:
Have you ever wondered how you would survive if you found yourself alone in the wilderness? How would you defend yourself against predators? What would you eat? Where would you find water? Source: http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/organization/leads.html Components of A feature Article According to http://hosbeg.com/components-of-a-newspaper-feature-story/ 1. The focus of the feature A feature article must have a focus. A focus is the topic where the feature article is all about. The feature’s topic
must not be specific. 2. The Lead It grabs the attention of your reader. 3. The body of the feature After you persuade the reader’s attention it is the time to bring up the main topic of your feature. The body also
needs to be good so that the readers will not lose interest in the feature. 4. The ending of the feature
Just like the lead and body of t he feature, the end is also important. The common ways of ending a feature story are by telling a statement or quotes. There are two types of e nding; summary and twist. The summary , gives the general summary of the content. The twist is formed when the writer ends with statements w hich contrasts the lead or the intro.
Types of Feature 1. News Feature - offers a human-interest view on a hard news event. News features may cover same subjects as hard news but they do it in a greater depth. Background information is expounded.
Example : http://www.unicef.org/sowc97/download/newsfeat.pdf
Exploding the myths about child labour
VITOR , A 12-YEAR -OLD BOY, WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE WORKING ON A BUILDING SITE with his father. He was killed by a high-voltage shock from a live cable he inadvertently touched while operating a cement mixer. Vitor might have been one of the many millions of child labourers who work in developing countries in hazardous conditions. But he wasn‘t. He lived in Portugal and worked for his father‘s construction company. Child labour, as UNICEF‘s The State of the World’s Children 1997 report explains, is a complex, often misunderstood problem. The myths that surround it impede solutions, and the report examines those myths to help dispel them. One myth is that children work only in poor countries. In fact, children work all over the world, in both industrialized and developing countries, although it is in the developing world that most child labour takes place. Not all labour, however, is hazardous. It is the nature of the work children do and the conditions in which they labour — not the fact that they work — that determines how they are affected. In the industrialized world, children of ethnic minorities or immigrant groups are those most likely to do hazardous work, the report points out. In the United States, for example, a high proportion of children working in agriculture come from immigrant or ethnic-minority families. A 1990 survey of Mexican-American children working in the farms of New York state showed that almost half had worked in fields still wet with pesticides and over a third had themselves been sprayed. Refuting another myth, the report argues that the elimination of hazardous child labour does not have to wait until poverty is eliminated, even though poverty — particularly the exploitation of poverty — is an important contributing factor. ―However poor their families may be, children would not be harmed by work if there were not people prepared and able to exploit them,‖ the report says. There are a number of measures that can be taken immediately to reduce the impact of poverty that will help protect children and families from exploitation. Income-generating and credit schemes can alleviate some of the greatest pressures on poor people, as can the provision of basic services such as safe water, health care and education. In fact, education is key to keeping children
out of hazardous labour. Also distorting the picture of child labour is the perception that children in developing countries work primarily to produce consumer goods such as clothing and toys for consumers in rich countries. In fact, only a tiny minority of children work in the export sector. A great many more are doing the kind of work in which 10-year-old Maria is engaged as she weaves between the traffic in downtown Lima, Peru, selling chewing-gum to whoever will buy. Like Maria, children are involved in a wide range of different jobs outside the export sector. A 1995 study in Bangladesh identified 300 such jobs, ranging from brick-making to stone-breaking, street-hawking to rag-picking. The vast majority of children work for their families or in agriculture or hidden away in houses, far from the reach of the official labour inspectors. ―If we allow the notion that the most exploited child workers are all in the industrial export sector to take hold, we would do a grave disservice to that great majority of children who labour in virtual invisibility,‖ says the report. Connected to this notion is another myth: that the only way to counter child labour is through government sanctions and consumer boycotts initiated in developed countries. Such sweeping measures would affect export production only, one of the smallest parts of the child labour problem. Sanctions and boycotts are blunt instruments that can do more harm than good, when they simply throw children out of work without simultaneously offering them and their families other ways to survive and improve their lives. The report looks at the impact that the mere threat of one such measure, the Harkin Bill in the US, had on the thousands of children involved in the garment industry in Bangladesh, who were immediately let go by their employers. UNICEF advocates a comprehensive strategy against hazardous child labour, including compulsory education for children and employment for parents. Although much remains to be done, much has already been accomplished to eliminate hazardous child labour and the damage it does to children. Projeto Axé in Brazil, for example, is an imaginative programme that offers literacy and skills training to children living and working on the streets in the town of Salvador. ―The most important thing,‖ says Axé‘s founder Cesare de Florio La Rocca, ―is to stimulate the child to dream and wish, and to offer a number of concrete opportunities to help the child realize those dreams.‖ The Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) is grappling with the exploitation of children in the beedi (tobacco) rolling industry in India‘s Tamil Nadu state. Most children begin working in that industry to pay their parents‘ debts, so CLASS has concentrated on providing new and less rapacious sources of credit for poor families. In addition, project staff have recognized that the best alternative to child labour is to offer high-quality, relevant schooling to children, something very much missing in many countries. So CLASS has pioneered the retraining of elementary teachers to be more participative and enthusiastic in their techniques, using a simple approach called ‗joyful learning‘. There are also projects aimed specifically at encouraging and educating the media about child labour. Since 1989, for example, a media advocacy group called PRESSHOPE has been working in the Philippines to involve both television and print media in child protection. The group is building on the success of a community organization that used an imaginative campaign to put the question of child prostitution in Pagsanjan on the national and international agendas. 2. Informative Feature – a feature that shows practical information about a subject. It educates readers in an entertaining way. Example (http://www.gemsociety.org/article/tools-tools-tools-the-fundamentals/)
Tools, tools, tools:
The fundamentals by Helen Goga
The dictionary defines ability as 'the quality that makes an action or process possible; the capacity or power to do something; cleverness, talent'. Wire artists know that their success lies in their ability to handle their tools and control the wire; the ability to use hand tools has a direct impact on the wire. So it comes as no surprise that, whenever wire artists meet, they should talk about wire and what neat tools they have just bought. In fact, talking about pliers is probably the one thing they are most willing to share. But, make no mistake -- "You toucha my pliers, I breaka you face!" Their love of hand tools is not the only thing they have in common. Many are confirmed toolaholics and are proud of it. Legends have been shared about particular artists and the incredible number of tools they own; these stories often precede them. This poses many questions, such as: Why?, What early life trauma led them to this? and Have they ever considered seeking help? When watching a wire artist choose their hand tools, you will notice their nimble fingers expertly sliding up the handle and over the jaws while the vinyl cushion grips slip into their waiting palm. These artists are adept with their hands, but some careful observers have reported seeing a quick, frisky pinch of the vinyl. You might hear a soft exhalation and a just-audible moan as their eyelids flutter for an instant, or you may see them replace the pliers with a "hmph" and an air of dismissal. What are they looking for? As a general rule, not much. But that "not much" is sure hard to find. F or example, when evaluating round-nose pliers, the wire artist is looking for a truly ROUND jaw -- not one that is oval, or has ridges or flat spots, because they know all of their loops, coils and circles will reflect whatever they have seen and felt on the surface on the jaw. This jaw must be smooth so as to not scratch the surface of the metal. The artist will also judge the space between the jaws, determining whether the wire will be held securely; if the space is too wide, the wire will slip. Inexpensive pliers
It is very likely that the first pair of pliers ever purchased by our wire artist friend were inexpensive ones that didn't la st because of their construction. Box-joint construction outlasts and outperforms all other types; it keeps its precise alignment, never loosening or wobbling, and opens and closes smoothly. Knowing the long hours they will be holding the pliers, the artist tests how it feels in their hand; the tool must feel comfortable. Manufacturers understand this need, offering plastic- and foam-grip handles. This not only provides grip but gives some insulating qualities. The same criteria apply when evaluating flat-nose pliers but, because the pliers will be used for different purposes, a few more attributes are added to the "wish list." For example, flat-nose pliers come in different sizes; the size will determine their application. Wide-nose pliers could be used to bend over the end of the wire when you begin your bindings, but wouldn't work well for tight spots such as those in many of the ring designs. Tapered, slim, flat-nose pliers would work well for these. As the inside surface of flat-nose pliers may be either smooth or serrated, the wire artist makes sure that the surface is smooth. Cutter and nippers may be purchased as sidecutters or end cutters. The shape of the edges of the jaw will determine how the ends of the wire will be cut, allowing for either a flush or semi-flush cut. A flush cut is one in which the edge of the wire is cut off squarely, whereas a semi-flush cut leaves a point on the end of the wire. Depending on the need and the desired end result, both types of pliers and both types of cuts are useful.
These are the three basic tools required to start a career as a wire artist jeweller. There are combinations of these, such as pliers that have one round-nose jaw with an opposing flat-nose jaw, rosary pliers (which are round-nose pliers with a side cutter) and so on. Specialty pliers
There are, as well, specialty pliers such as coiling pliers or bent needle-nose. When an artist needs the tapered jaw of a needle-nose plier but the flat surface of a flat-nose plier, they may use chain-nose pliers, appreciating that the jaw edges are bevelled to prevent the marring of soft wire. The choice made is a matter of pers onal preference and technique. All one has to do is check out catalogues of tools, supplies and equipment for technicians and craftsmen to see all the variations and choices available. Complementary to these hand tools, wire artists frequently use pin vises, ring mandrels, jewelry (or bench) vises, calipers, rulers, pocket- or penknives, jewelers' files, ring sizers and an opti-visor. In defence of all the many plier enthusiasts you may meet, wire art is really a study of how wire is successfully manipulated into a certain shape. The tool used to do this is is just an extension of the artist's hand and should be used to guide the wire into place without undue pressure or force. Because the tool is so critical, it comes under scrutiny. As an artist becomes more involved with the artform and begins to play with design, it is inevitable that specific tools begin to find an exact use; ergo, the 101 pliers. 3. Personality profile - a story which reveal the personality of someone trough anecdotes, incidents and quotes. Example
Momma by Pfc. David Alberti It‘s 7 a.m. on an already warm Monday morning. As the soldier stands in line at the Consolidated Dining Facility, he squints through hungover eyes at the eggs being mercilessly beaten to a syrupy, yellow-white glop that will soon be his omelet breakfast. His head hurts. His whiskey-tortured stomach feels as if it is in the early stages of rigor mortis. He wants to go back to bed. He wants to go home. He wants his mother. ―Now, honey. It can‘t be that bad!‖ says a voice from behind the grill. ―Momma, it can be that bad,‖ moans the young soldier. ―Momma‖ laughs a warm, compassionate laugh and hands the man his plate. ―Here, soldier, you put a little hot sauce on them eggs. If it don‘t make that head feel a little better, it‘ll sure make you forget it for a while!‖ The soldier smiles, and it doesn‘t hurt so much. That‘s what Momma does, and that‘s why she‘s ―Momma.‖ ―Momma‖ is really Johnetta Colbert, the senior server and union steward at the CDF. But for the last three of her seven years here and to hundreds of soldiers who have passed through Fort Harrison, she has been known affectionately as ―Momma.‖ Momma is a large, black woman. She is only 5 feet, 4 inches tall, but she is ―large‖ in a stro ng, maternal way. Her clear, dark eyes and soft, smooth, lineless complexion give her back 20 of her 50 years. ―I ain‘t got no children of my own,‖ she confided. ―My and Earl, my husband, we were married 21 years and always wanted ‗em. But we‘re separated ... been separated seven years now.‖ Her voice trailed off, then picked up. ―But now I‘ve got hundreds of kids. These soldiers like their Momma cookin‘ ‗em breakfast.‖ And Momma has been cooking breakfast for the troops at Fort Harrison for seven years. When she and her husband separated in 1974, Momma moved from St. Louis, where she was born, to Indianapolis, where she had a close
friend. How did she end up working in a mess hall? ―I needed a job! You ain‘t got nothin‘ if you ain‘t got a j ob. Everybody‘s g ot to have work,‖ she laughed. Momma has worked all of her life, starting at the age of 16, cleaning and canning fish in a St. Louis fishery in 1947. She stayed at it for 27 years until she came to Indianapolis. The morning shift that Momma works six days a week starts serving the troops at 5:30 a.m. In order to catch the Fort Harrison bus from her home in the city, she gets up at 4 a.m. Yet she always shows sympathy to the yawning soldiers who file past her each morning. ―Once in a while I get a smart alec or some wise guy in line. I don‘t get mad at ‗em, just give ‗em a good looking at‖ -- she squinted her eyes, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow -- ―and that usually gets my point across.‖ ―People is people,‖ she explained. ―God says to treat everyone like you‘d want to be treated. Smile and try and be happy.‖ She feels the soldier has it hard sometimes ... ―they (soldiers) deserve a smile and a good meal more than most!‖ Momma feels a strong responsibility toward the soldiers she feeds. ―She‘s very professional, very picky about the food and service the troops get,‖ said Walter W. Trotter III, one of Momma‘s co -workers. ―She tries to keep everybody working, and in a good mood if she can.‖ As the union steward of the dining facility, things are not alway s that simple. ―If there‘s a problem (with management) she tries to work it out first,‖ Trotter continued. ―But if it‘s the worker who‘s the problem, she‘s the first one to kick ‗em in the rear.‖ Momma is working toward retirement now. ―I get tired sometim es, and I sure would like to know I could wake up tomorrow and know I don‘t have to go to work.‖ She looked down at her strong, scarred hands and added, ―But I guess after doin‘ somethin‘ for a while, you‘d miss it if you left it.‖ After these long years of hard work and long hours, Momma finds strength in her church, the Freedom Baptist Church in Indianapolis. Active as a member of the missionary board, board of trustees and an alto in the choir, Momma said she‘d like to work for the church when she leaves the mess hall and her troops. ―Maybe I‘d work at our (church‘s) day-care center.‖ She smiled her warm maternal smile at the thought and added, ―Yeah. I guess I‘d like workin‘ with the little kids if I could.‖ Johnetta Colbert, ―Momma‖ to so many young men and women, finishes work at 2 p.m. each day and walks to the bus stop on strong but tired legs. No family welcomes her home. But each morning weary soldiers come to Mrs. Colbert to find a smile and a laugh and the hot meal that she serves so well. That‘s what Momma does. That‘s why she‘s Momma. Source: http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/Personality_Feature_Writing_Tips_E70A30F5B1D74.pdf 4. Human Interest feature- a short piece , told in a very entertaining way , concentrates on emotionally appealing subjects. Example Contemplating the mystery of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde By Jeff Louderback What happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde? To this day, many adventure seekers who pass along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and are aware of the Hyde story contemplate the answer to that long-lived question.
In 1928, the Hydes were a newlywed couple attempting to run the ferocious rapids of the Colorado River. If they had succeeded, Bessie would have been the first known woman to accomplish the feat. Instead, they were last seen on the river in November 1928, and they were never heard from again. The Hydes met on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles in 1927. They were married on April 12, 1928 – on the 16th anniversary of the Titanic sinking and a day after Bessie‘s divorce from her first husband was finalized. Glen was an expert boat builder who had rafting experience traversing the Salmon and S nake rivers in Idaho a couple years earlier. Bessie was more of a novice. Glen built a 20-foot-long wooden sweep scow and the couple embarked on a honeymoon adventure down the Green and Colorado rivers in October 1928. To Glen, it was more than just a casual float. He was committed to setting a new speed record for traveling through the Grand Canyon, and he wanted Bessie to make history as the first documented woman to run the canyon. According to Bessie‘s detailed journal, the couple was ahead of schedule and making remarkable progress. The couple stopped to resupply on November 16, hiking along the Bright Angel Trail where they met brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, legendary photographers who operated a cliffside studio.
Glen and Bessie knocked on the studio door and introduced themselves to the Kolbs, explaining that they were honeymooners who had been rafting on the river for 26 days. The Kolb brothers said that the couple asked to have their photo taken on the canyon rim, and they would return to retrieve it after the trip was completed. According to Emory Kolb, Glen said that they did not have life preservers, a comment that evoked a warning from Kolb that Glen responded to with a laugh. Bessie, Emory Kolb said, looked nervous about the remaining journey ahead. As Glen and Bessie prepared to depart and walk down the trail to their boat, Emory Kolb‘s daughter Emily appeared, nicely dressed. Bessie remarked, ―I wonder if I shall ever wear pretty shoes again.‖ Some historians have noted that a man named Adolph G. Sutro accompanied the couple back into the canyon, taking photographs and even riding a short distance with them in the boat. If this is true, Sutro was likely the last person to see them alive. By early December, Glen and Bessie had not been heard from. Emory Kolb initiated a search of the area that included a small plane that flew through the inner gorge of the canyon. The pilot saw the Hydes‘ scow snagged in the rocks on the river. When the rescue party – which included Kolb – reached the boat, they found everything securely packed. Food, clothing, books and even Bessie‘s journal were neatly in place. A camera found in the boat revealed the final photo to have been shot near river mile 165 on or about November 27. Glen‘s father, Reith Hyde, hired a group of men to search the canyon within the area where Glen and Bessie likely traveled. Days, weeks and months passed with no success. Because of the story‘s romance, along with the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the couple‘s fate, a myriad of legends and theories have surfaced over the years. One theory suggests that Glen was an abusive husband whose prolonged exposure to the extreme conditions of the canyon heightened his nasty behavior. It is speculated by some pe ople that Bessie grew tired of the rough treatment of her new husband, murdered him and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life. Many of Glen‘s friends and family members discounted that theory; however, stating that he was not an a busive person and that he dearly loved Bessie. Another story supports the speculation that Bessie shot and killed Glen because of his abusive tendencies. Some friends of Georgie Clark, a woman who gained notoriety for her rafting adventures in the Grand C anyon, speculate that she was Bessie Hyde. Conversations about Clark‘s connections to Bessie started when friends were perusing her personal items following her death in 1992. People who had known her for decades had never been invited inside her home.
Upon looking at Cl ark‘s personal effects, her friends learned that her birth certificate indicated that her real name was Bessie DeRoss, not Georgie. Clark or Georgie White (which was another surname she sometimes used). The latter two were the last names of husbands she had divorced. Her friends‘ curiosity was further peaked when they found the marriage license of Glen and Bessie Hyde at her home, and a pistol in her lingerie drawer. Colorado River historian Brad Dimock – whose book, ―Sunk Without a Sound – The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde,‖ investigates the couple‘s story and the subsequent theories – looked at the items from Clark‘s home and concluded from photographs that Clark and Bessie Hyde were not the same person.
Richard Westwood, who wrote a biography about Clark, has also said that there is little proof to substantiate the theory that Clark was actually Bessie Hyde.
Many historians surmise that another theory likely describes what happened to the Hydes. Glen a nd Bessie, according to this opinion, accidentally drowned in the Colorado River. According to historians, the mile 232 rapid was not well-known and was not charted in 1928, yet it is regarded as one of the most brutal areas of the river. The Hydes did not have the appropriate equipment to tackle this rapid, it is speculated. Those who crave a romantic tale have said that Bessie fell into the rapids, Glen leaped in to save her and both drowned. In the 1970s, two additional stories surfaced regarding Bessie Hyde. In 1971, an elderly woman on a commercial boat tour spoke up when the story of Glen and Bessie Hyde was told by a guide during a campfire dinner. The woman claimed that she was Bessie and that, after she had enough of her husband‘s abusive behavior during the trip, she napped, stabbed him, left him for dead and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life. The guide told about the woman‘s claims, and researchers looked into the story. They determined that, though the woman resembled Bessie with her features and her height, she was a retired psychologist who liked to tell tales. Though it could not be proven that, without a doubt, the woman was not Bessie Hyde, her claim was discounted, keeping the legend of what happened to the Hydes alive.
In 1976, skeletal remains with a bullet inside the skull were found on the canyon rim on the property that belonged to Emory Kolb, who was reportedly one of the last people to see the Hydes alive. Eventually, though, a forensic investigation found that the skeleton belonged to a man no older than 22 who died no earlier than 1972, which ruled out Glen Hyde. Today, the question of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde remains unanswered. Like the Hydes during their ill-fated honeymoon expedition, adventure seekers today can encounter areas of the Grand Canyon that can only be seen from the water – like emerald pools, hidden waterfalls, colorful flowers and thriving wildlife. Grand Canyon Expeditions offers eight-day motorized boat tours and 14-day to 16-day Dory boat trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The guided tours include hiking remote areas of the canyon, learning about the natural splendor and scintillating history of the area, swimming in side canyons and running class IV whitewater rapids. The Grand Canyon features a diverse and majestic geological extravaganza. It stretches for 277 miles, measures from four to 18 miles in width, and averages a mile in depth. Covering more than 1.2 million acres, the semi-arid canyon consists of raised plateaus, steep-walled canyons, desert basins at lower elevations and forests at higher elevations. Canyon walls provide wide-ranging fossil specimens, a vast array of geological features and rock types, and numerous caves. Though the Grand Canyon is a desert, it is teeming with plants and wildlife. Cactus and wildflowers dot the riverbanks as well as cool glens with tumbling waterfalls and ferns. Grand Canyon Expeditions passengers might see bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats along the riverbanks and in tributary canyons. Hawks, golden eagles, falcons, great blue herons and egrets fly overhead.
The eight-day excursions cover the entire 277 miles of the canyon, beginning at Lees Ferry, Arizona (in Grand Canyon National Park) and ending at Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. During the adventure, passengers will negotiate nearly 200 exciting white water rapids in safety and first-class comfort. For people who want to experience the grandeur of the river and the canyon at a more leisurely pace, Grand Canyon Expeditions offers the 14-day to 16-day Dory trips. Sturdy wooden vessels that are designed to withstand the rigors of whitewater, Dory boats allow passengers to see the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon much like Powell and his men. Source : http://www.jefflouderback.com/contemplating-the-mystery-of-what-happened-to-glen-and-bessie-hyde/ 5. Historical Feature – story about interesting aspect of a historical subject Example Glen Arbor commemorates September 11 attacks By: Jacob Wheeler Sun editor More than 200 patriotic Americans, local townspeople and students from two high schools attended an emotionally stirring September 11 Memorial Service at the Glen Lake Fire Department this morning — an annual event in Glen Arbor to remember the fallen, to honor those that serve in uniform and risk their lives for our communities and our nation, and as a reminder that evil still exists today in a dangerous world. - See more at The 70-minute ceremony featured the Glen Lake School Choir singing the ―Star Spangled Banner‖, ―God Bless America‖ and ―A Prayer for Tomorrow‖; bagpipers playing ―Amazing Grace‖, as is traditionally done at New York City funerals for fallen police and firemen, and the ―Taps‖ farewell salute, by Norm Wheeler and William Brodin. At 8:43 a.m., the moment when the first hijacked airplane hit the Twin Towers 12 years ago, the fire station bells sounded their mournful chimes, followed by one minute of silence. Glen Lake Fire Chief John Dodson officiated the service, which also featured remarks by Glen Lake Community Reformed Church Reverend Andy Bossardet, and a history lesson from Major General Mike Lehnert, who lives in nearby Elk Rapids and is a veteran of military campaigns in Panama, Kuwait and Iraq. Paying homage to local families who serve, Lehnert recalled driving by a house on M-72 this morning that boasts three Marine flags — one for every son in uniform, whose sons Kevin, Keith and Kyle and all in the Marine Corps.) Acknowledging that soldiers are often honored for their service, while firemen receive little credit for their sacrifice, Lehnert concluded his remarks by turning and saluting the Glen Lake firemen. Glen Arbor resident Ted Peterson designed the memorial which sits in front of the Fire Department and features a beam that was salvaged from the wreckage at Ground Zero standing over a reflecting pool. Peterson spoke about his inspiration for ―making complex art out of simple topics‖, but in this case ―making simple art out of complex topics‖. The beam came from the Twin Towers wreckage and arrived in Glen Arbor last year. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and Leelanau County resident Taro), whose father helped design the Twin Towers in Manhattan, also created an emotionally moving video (together with Julie Weeks) about the f amilies of firemen lost in the terrorist attacks. Watch the slideshow below: Finally, the memorial service featured sobering photos of the smoking wreckage at Ground Zero in the days after the terrorist attack. Anthony Miller, an Native American ironworker from near by Peshawbestown, traveled to New York immediately after learning of the tragedy and spent 40 days there aiding the dangerous cleanup effort in the still smoldering wreckage. ―We‘d cut iron, the big stuff, and trim it down to a size that it could be loaded on a truck and hauled away,‖ Miller told the Leelanau Enterprise. ―The air was thick. The wreckage burned for weeks.‖
Source: http://glenarborsun.com/glen-arbor-commemorates-september-11-attacks/
6. How to do feature - explains how to do something . It explains how to make or do things that are uncommon to us. Example How to Save Money on Food Author: Janis Cormier If you think that I‘m going to divulge the best couponing strategies or reveal secrets about how to shop the sales at your local supermarket, well, you‘re wrong. What I want to tell you about is how to save money on food…by growing your own. And before you start moaning that you can‘t because you have a ―black thumb‖ or you haven‘t any room to grow fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit I‘m going to tell you how easy it is. All you need is a corner of your yard, or a balcony, or if you haven‘t either of these rent a plot in a nearby community garden.
An amazing amount of food can be grown in a small space if you use intensive planting methods and that food will be tastier and fresher than any thing you‘ll buy from the store, and cost less too! Of course if you lack knowledge about how to grow, or what crops can be grown where you live you should probably enlist some help. Ask questions at your local garden centre, they can advise you on local conditions. Companies like West Coast Seeds publish catalogues that are chock full of helpful information. But the best resource is a garden buddy, preferrably someone with decades of gardening experience who you can call (or email) with all your stupid questions who will patiently explain the arcane art of coaxing food f rom those tiny little specks or lumpy bumpy spheres inside of vegetable seed packages. Your Hortophile friend will happily tell you about the power of compost, which organic fertilizers you should invest in, and when to harvest your potatoes. A big part of growing food successfully depends upon your local climate; you need to know when the last (and first) frost dates are in an average year. And if you live somewhere that never sees frost, that‘s important too! But the single most important requirement for a successful garden is attached to the bottoms of your legs – your feet! As an old gardener once told me, ―The best fertilizer for a garden is the footsteps of the gardener‖.
You must pa y attention to what‘s happening, spend at least a few minutes each day in your garden, checking to see if your veggies need some water or are drowning, monitoring for pests and watching for signs of disease. It‘s not a bad way to defuse after a busy day at work; strolling around the garden observing the progress of your crops, perhaps harvesting something for dinner. Gardening is addictive and contagious; once you‘ve spent a season or two experimenting with growing your own food you might find the neighbours asking YOU for advice about growing food. And that would be beneficial for all our neighborhoods, leading to better food security, helping others learn how to save money on food and building greener and friendlier communities.
Source: http://technorati.com/women/article/how-to-save-money-on-food/
Activity Determine what type of lead was used in each number. 1. Penmanship suffers in computer age
By Lini S. Kadaba Knight Ridder News Service Friday, August 27, 1999 PHILADELPHIA -- Welcome to Camp HandRIGHTing Ink., a place to mind one's p's and q's and other details of proper penmanship.This is a place for children to practice putting pencil to paper -- something that has become a necessity in the age of computers. Source: .( http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/conspiracies-up-in-the-sky/story-e6frg6z61226817968777#mm-premium)
2.
How to look hot in the heat BY: GLYNIS TRAILL-NASH- THE AUSTRALIAN HAVING spent 25 years in Perth, you'd think I would know how to dress in summer. Stylishly surviving a season when the temperature is consistently more than 35C should be second nature. Alas, no. The only way I ever found to cope with severe heat was in a tepid bath with very cold champagne, but at some point you have to leave the house. Ditto lounging around the house in vintage slips trying to channel Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Butterfield 8. And failing. Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/fashion/how-to-look-hot-in-the-heat/story-e6frg8k61226817932781
3. Banking on a bush lifeline BY: SUE NEALES THE AUSTRALIAN
FARMERS in drought-stricken Queensland simply refer to it as The Letter. The dreaded formal note telling them that their bank - and it could be Suncorp, Rabobank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Landmark or the Commonwealth - wants to revalue their property and start discussing mediation. Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/banking-on-a-bush-lifeline/story-e6frg6z6-1226817011036# 4. Giving on the go BY MICHELLE ROWE THE AUSTRALIAN THIRTEEN boys are writing earnestly in exercise books while sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor. The room, devoid of desks, chairs and blackboard, is in the central west of Bhutan at a monastery-based school that lacks even the most basic educational equipment. I am visiting Khuruthang Lhakhang to sample a philanthropic program run by Amanresorts, one of a growing number of accommodation and tour operators that invite travellers to lend a hand in some of the world's poorest communities. Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/giving-on-the-go/story-e6frg9zo-1226816993199
5 Bumps in road to prosperity BY HENRY ERGAS THE AUSTRALIAN "CECILY, you will read your Political Economy in my absence", Miss Prism instructs the young heiress in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. But, the prudish governess hastens to add, "the chapter on the Fall of the Rupee you may omit. It is somewhat too sensational. Even these metallic problems have their melodramatic side." Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/bumps-in-road-to-prosperity/story-fn7078da1226815294831# Activity Write a feature lead for each number.
1. A study at the University of Michigan shatters some myths. The results were announced today. Women have a reputation for gossiping and talking, yet the study found the reputation is undeserved. The study, which required researchers to observe a number of people at work, found that women work both longer and harder than men — that men spend more time goofing off on the job. The study found that the average employed man spends 52 minutes, or 11 percent of each working day, not working: in scheduled coffee breaks, unscheduled rest breaks, at lunch beyond the normal hour and so forth. The average working woman spends only 35 minutes, or 8 percent of her working day, in such scheduled and unscheduled rest breaks. The same study found that the amount of effort expended by women at work is 112 percent that of men. The discrepancy is more dramatic than the statistics indicate because men earn more than women for the same type of work. The average man in the study earned $13 an hour, compared to 9.34 for the average woman. The women tended to hold mainly clerical jobs, but those in managerial positions also outperformed their male counterparts. 2. Many freebies no longer are free. Because of rising expenses and other problems, American business establishments are eliminating many services and other amenities once offered their customers free of charge. Many of the services that gasoline stations used to offer for free to attract customers have gone the way of the dinosaurs — they have become extinct. Gasoline stations no longer wash windshields, and many no longer even provide the squeegee, the windshield cleaner or the towels so customers can do it themselves. One station owner said he quit offering the service because his customers reportedly were using too many cleaning towels, which cost a two cents each. Service stations have also discontinued free giveaways — free car washes with a fillup, free glasses and steak knives, free road maps — because of the increasing costs of the freebies. "We can't justify the cost of the freebies. We don't make much profit on a gallon of gas and if you start giving things away to attract customers, we end up making nothing. We found that we weren't getting enough new customers to cover the cost of the free items," said Cecil LaCette, manager of Southside Service. Some gasoline stations restrict the use of their washroom facilities and charge for the air used to inflate tires. LaCette said: "When you buy new clothes, you no longer expect to receive a free wooden or plastic hanger. When men buy a pair of slacks, alterations — which used to always be free — may cost $10 to $20." Along with the disappearance of those items go free giftwrapping, which was benefit to many last-minute holiday shoppers. Coffee or soda refills, once free at many restaurants, no longer are free. And many restaurants serve water only upon request. 3. Someone called 18 people in the city last night. The caller identified himself as the president of Rutherford Ford, Inc., 2780 Doss Boulevard. He told each of the people that they had just won a new car from his dealership. Interviewed by reporters today, most of the people who received the calls said that at first they just couldn't believe it. And they were right. They couldn't. The person who called was a prankster, and Allen Rutherford, president of the dealership, says he has no idea who placed he calls, and that he's spending all his time today trying to explain the situation to those 18 people. "Someone appa rently has a sick idea of humor," Rutherford said. After convincing people they had won a new car, the caller asked them to drop by the dealership this morning to pick it up. All 18 were there when the dealership opened its doors at 9 a.m. "I told them we never offered to give away a car," Rutherford said. "One woman told me she couldn't believe she'd won, and then she told me she couldn't believe it when I told her she hadn't. Two other women began to cry, and a man is threatening to sue me." 4. The police in this municipality received a call at 3:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon. A woman shouted at the sergeant who answered the telephone. She said: "My son's been beaten. His teacher whipped him this afternoon, and he's all red where she paddled him. Can teachers do that? That's assault and battery, and I want her arrested." Two
police officers were sent to the home. They questioned the boy, who is 9 years old. At his mother's insistence, the police officers also inspected the boy's reported injuries. They reported: "We couldn't tell that the boy had been paddled. His fanny didn't look red to us, but we did notice that his pants legs were wet and muddy. As we talked, it became obvious that he boy was lying. He finally admitted that he had stopped to play on the way home from school, forgot the time and got home late. He told his mother that the teacher had spanked him and kept him after school. His mother was there with us and heard the whole story. She said she'd take of the situation, and we're quite certain that she will, as she was very embarrassed. In fact, we could hear her giving the kid a real paddling as we left — and a hard one." 5. Thomas J. Serle works for Parker Bros. Circus, which is in town this week. Performances are scheduled at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day through Sunday, beginning today. Serle, who maintains a home in Fort Lauderdale, is a laborer who helps care for the animals at the circus, including 10 elephants. During a conversation with a reporter, he said: "Some people look on work with a circus as a glamorous job. It ain't. But I been doing it all my life, and it's too late for me to change. I'll be 60 next year. I was born into it. Both my folks were circus people. I started out as an acrobat until I fell and busted a leg. It never healed quite right, so they offered me this job, and I took it. What else could I do? There's all kinds of myths about circuses, like about these elephants here. Some people say they're afraid of mice, but that's crazy. When we pen the elephants up for the winter there's always mice that get in their hay, and it don't bother them none. The elephants never try to run away or stomp them or anything. They share the same cages all winter. And then some people say elephants got a good memory. Hell, some of the ones we got are so dumb they can't remember a simple trick from one year to the next."
Quiz Write a feature article given the information below.
1. Seven million Filipinos visit Wattpad every month, coming second behind Americans and ahead of users from United Kingdom, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Turkey, India, Germany and Spain. Filipinos are the second biggest users of the world's biggest online reading and storytelling platform Wattpad, according to latest data from social media monitor SocialBakers. There are currently 300,000 completed stories coming from Filipinos. Twenty-three percent of Wattpad's Android traffic also comes from the Philippines. Wattpad co-founder and chief executive officer Allan Lau said HaveYouSeenThisGirL‘s Wattpad story, 'The Diary of An Ugly Girl,' is poised to become the Philippines‘ best -selling book this year. Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/01/30/1284837/filipinos-among-top-users-worlds-largestebook-community 2.
Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) delivers letters, cards, flowers, chocolates and toys in time for Valentine‘s Day To receive letters is more traditional and romantic. It would be better if it is accompanied by roses and chocolates,‖ Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said they are reviving their ―Love Express via PhlPost,‖ a special delivery service, from Feb 10 until Feb. 14.
Stalls would be put up on the ground floor of the Main Central Post Office at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila Dela Cruz said a team of letter carriers, the Express Elite Force, would deliver the items via Domestic Express Mail Service (DEMS) The current rate for DEMS is P60 for the first 20 grams within the National Capital Region and P70 for delivery in areas outside Metro Manila
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/09/1288323/phlpost-revives-love-express
3. Headline: Warning issued vs chat rooms, online dating
MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos using chat rooms and online dating sites to find love or meet people, be warned. The Bureau of Customs is urging the public to be on guard against individuals who prey on single men and women who use dating service websites, chat rooms and social media sites. The scam starts with a suspect befriending a victim online, spending weeks or even months building up a romantic relationship with the lonely and vulnerable victim through email. The perpetrators, who claim to come from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, promise potential victims packages containing luxury bags, jewelry, electronic gadgets and even money that would be sent to them once they pay purported customs duties and taxes.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/ Quiz 2 1. Headline : INFOGRAPHIC: The sexual and internet behaviour of the Filipino youth
According to a recent study by the University of the Philippines (UP) Population Institute, the prevalence of premarital sex and teenage pregnancy among young Filipinos has increased over the past years. The research findings showed that majority of today‘s young Filipinos had their first premarital sex experience without the use of condom or any other form of contraception to prevent pregnancy or sexually-transmitted disease. Dr. Josefina Natividad said in her presentation of the study's conclusion that the rise of the new forms of sexual activity and new means of meeting sexual partners may also be attributed to today's new technologies.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/
3. Headline; Pinoy romance: Sense of humor trumps good looks
Nine out of 10 Filipinos find people with a sense of humor more attractive than those with just good looks, a survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed yesterday. The survey, conducted face-to-face with 1,550 adults from Dec. 11 to 16 last year, said only 10 percent of the respondents chose ―good looks‖ over ―sense of humor‖ in finding a man or a woman attractive. Source: http://www.philstar.com/
Quiz 3 : INFOGRAPHIC: Filipinos 3rd heaviest drinkers in the world
Euromonitor said that adults in the Philippines each take 5.4 shots of distilled alcohol weekly, making the country third in the list of the world's heaviest drinkers.
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Source: http://www.philstar.com/
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This was what Rock Ed Philippines founder Gang Badoy-Capati realized after getting her wish done by a soldier she had known only as ―Manny Sundalo‖ from whom she had requested for an airlift for victims of the Florida bus accident in Mountain Province early this month. ―Manny Sundalo‖ would turn out to be Armed Forces chief of staff Manuel Bautista. ―I was given a number to call so I can request for airlifts for the critical care survivors during the Florida bus crash in Bontoc. Someone gave me a number saying ‗ito, sund alo, si Manny - matutulungan ka niyan, kilala mo yan (this one is a soldier. He can help you. You know him),‖ she narrated. ―I bugged Manny Sundalo and was a bit stern and firm, told him, ‗Sir, aasahan ko yang helicopter ha ng 5 am sa Bontoc (Sir, I expect that helicopter at 5 am in Bontoc).‘ And he was really listo (smart) and said, ‗Yes Ma‘am, I guarantee it,‘‖ she said. The Rock Ed Philippines founder said that when they got to Bontoc, ―the Air Force was there, available, willing (and) efficient.‖ ―They flew everyone as best they could. Done and done. I was so grateful. So I (messaged) Manny the soldier again and said ‗thank you,‘ broke the news that Mylo (Cabardo, one of the victims) didn‘t make it but we were grateful for the chance to try everything fo r his family,‖ said Badoy -Capati. She said Manny called her back and said, ―At your service, Ma‘am, condolence, sorry about your friends.‖
Badoy said she was surprised upon learning that she had been dealing with the country‘s top soldier all along.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/20/1292428/manny-sundalo-rescue 3.
The Axe Apollo Academy declared Crossfit MNL trainer Chino Roque as the first Filipino astronaut, joining 24 others from all over the world in a trip to space Spaceman Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, declared Roque as a winner at the awarding ceremonies held at the Rocket Garden of the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida. Roque beat compatriots Evan Ray Datuin and Ramil Santos for the chance to go to space after his performance in the air combat, G force and assault training rounds of the test. Roque joined the competition as a replacement to Air Force Lieutenant Mario Mendoza who had to withdraw from the competition to serve his duties to the military.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2013/12/06/1 264978/fitness-trainer-declared-first-filipino-astronaut
