Busy Student Government Passes Resolution In Support of Question 2
Bill would give UMaine and Maine Community Colleges over 24 million dollars for energy efficient facilities
Orono, Maine --- University of Maine Student Government wrapped up a busy meeting last Tuesday that included passing a resolution in support of question 2 on this fall’s Maine-wide ballot. Question 2, which has a connection with Act LD 1810 passed for wind energy offshore in Maine, reads as follows:
Do you favor a $26,500,000 bond issue that will create jobs through investment in an off-shore wind energy demonstration site and related manufacturing to advance Maine's energy independence from imported foreign oil, that will leverage $24,500,000 in federal and other funds and for energy improvements at campuses of the University of Maine System, Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy in order to make facilities more efficient and less costly to operate?
The University of Maine is taking on the offshore wind energy project as outlined in a recent amendment to the LD1810 bill, which focuses on making wind farms over 10 miles off the coast of Maine. The University will be developing the floating structures in which the windmills will sit on.
In addition to question 2 providing monetary support for UMaine in developing this technology, the question also proposes 24.5 million dollars in order to improve campus facilities to make them more energy efficient. The Student Government supports the passing of question 2 because it gives a lot of money to the university to become more green, something they have been trying to promote for the last couple of years through organizations such as the Green Campus Initiative.
Student Government passed five other resolutions just on amending financial policies of the student government, as well as a key resolution to continue the College Reader’s Program, the organization that gives the free newspapers on campus. Student Government also passed a motion to make a new podium for the Vice President in honor of Gustav Bruquette, who works in student affairs, but will soon be leaving to work in North Carolina.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
15-2 final assignment!
Maine Wind Energy Expanding to Offshore
Amendments to LD 1810 helps Maine expand wind usage
An amendment to act LD 1810, an act expressing recommendation for offshore wind energy production found unanimous approval from the Maine Energy and Utilities Committee. The changes in the act focused on deep off-shore. This is in response to people who disagree with the act for environmental reasons.
The amendment of the act helps Maine expand its wind energy program to offshore still, but just farther offshore, more than 10 miles from the coast. Studies show that the wind off the coast of Maine is much better in terms of strength and how much can be garnered if handles correctly.
University of Maine Professor and director of the AEWC Advanced Structures and Composite Center, D. Habib Dagher claims the wind offshore is better and can put environmental minded people at peace.
“Class 7 wind is available 20 miles offshore in the Gulf of Maine, that is where we need to put the turbines” said Dagher. “The wind is much better, and public acceptance will not be as much of a problem.”
Dagher is heading the lab at the University of Maine that will advance the development of technology to create these floating offshore turbines in order to make sure that all of the potential energy out in the deep ocean can be obtained.
Contrary to popular belief, not all wind is created equal. There is a hierarchy of the quality of wind according to how much potential energy in watts per square meter. The classes are assigned in ranges, with class 1 being 200 watts/square meter, and class 7 having a range of 800-2000 watts/square meter. If class 7 winds are available that far offshore, and wind energy proponents can tap into that, it looks like a win-win for everybody.
Susan Collins on the Offshore Wind Energy Wand Grant
Maine has had much success with wind power. With over 18 locations of either working wind farms, or those in the developmental stages, it appears that Maine has emerged as a leader in the area of wind energy. Mars Hill Wind Farm, the biggest and best of Maine’s wind farms, has been standing since 2007 and has been very profitable for the inhabitants of Aroostook County. It is estimated that Mars Hill avoids around 120,000 tons of CO2 per year, which is about one-fourth of the CO2 emissions that the state avoids yearly through the use of wind farms. The Farm cuts down on emissions while still providing enough power to supply 45,000 homes with electricity. Needless to say, wind power can be effective when garnered in the right places, and deep offshore of the coast of Maine appears to be the next step in expanding wind energy to more than the 5% of Maine’s total energy that it currently supplies.
Another perk that comes along with the building of wind farms, both on and offshore, is the way in which it boosts the economy. In 2008, the wind industry created over 35,000 jobs for people across America, and in fact creates more jobs than dollars invested on wind energy projects.
Maine appears to have taken a step in the right direction, helping the world’s leader in wind energy production take their production to a whole new level.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine
http://www.workingwaterfront.com/online-exclusives/Maine-sets-sail-to-be-wind-energy-leader/13215/
http://www.nrcm.org/maine_wind_projects.asp
http://www.mainewind.org/
http://www.endlessenergy.com/
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/wind-turbines-neuro-acoustical.shtml
http://maineinsights.com/perma/growing-wind-energy-in-maine
http://www.windtaskforce.org/
http://www.windaction.org/documents/23095
http://offshorewindwire.com/2010/04/02/maine-legislation-amended-to-focus-on-deepwater-wind/
http://earth2tech.com/2008/11/28/massive-gulf-of-maine-wind-farm-proposed/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-i1385bDkU
http://www.ciweb.org/storage/lectures/2010/HabibDagher.jpg
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
12-1 sports story
Lewis Carries Maine to Victory against Bates
Sophomore Outfielder ties Maine record for triples in a season with 10; has 5 RBI on the day
The University of Maine Black Bears defeated the Bates Bobcats by a score of 7-2 yesterday night at the Mahaney Diamond in Orono. Taylor Lewis led the scoring attack by going 3-4 on the day, which included two triples and five RBI. With the two triples, Lewis set a new Maine baseball record for triples in a season with ten triples on the season thusfar.
Myckie Lugbauer got his first start of the season, pitching 3 1/3 innings while only giving up one earned run and striking out six in the no decision. Keith Bilodeau pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball for the victory. The victory ran the Black Bears’ record to 20-16 on the season, and they remained 4-3 in conference play, good for second in the America East.
Bates’ record is now 14-8 on the year as they never could really get into an offensive groove during the game. Catcher Webb Gordy had a good day, going 2-4 with one RBI in the losing effort. Center fielder Pat Murphy also had a good day, going 2-3 while scoring one of Bates’ two runs on the day. Starter Alexander Karl took the loss for Bates, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up five of Maine’s seven earned runs. Karl struck out five batters in the outing, while also walking six.
Bates did play better than the score indicated in this game. Without Lewis’s contribution, Maine went just 2-25 in the game. This has to be a concern for the Black Bears, especially with a long run of conference play coming up, with the Bears playing Albany, Binghamton, Hartford, and Stony Brook within the next few weeks. Maine was picked to win the America East this season in a pre-season poll by the coaches, and has had some inconsistencies with their pitching and hitting which have led to the Bears being only four games over .500. The offense has been picking it up lately, behind the strong play of Taylor Lewis and catcher Joe Mercucio, both hitting well over .300 on the year and pacing the offense.
Maine heads into the home stretch of the season with high hopes that began in February, and hope that the confidence put in them was not in vain.
Sophomore Outfielder ties Maine record for triples in a season with 10; has 5 RBI on the day
The University of Maine Black Bears defeated the Bates Bobcats by a score of 7-2 yesterday night at the Mahaney Diamond in Orono. Taylor Lewis led the scoring attack by going 3-4 on the day, which included two triples and five RBI. With the two triples, Lewis set a new Maine baseball record for triples in a season with ten triples on the season thusfar.Myckie Lugbauer got his first start of the season, pitching 3 1/3 innings while only giving up one earned run and striking out six in the no decision. Keith Bilodeau pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball for the victory. The victory ran the Black Bears’ record to 20-16 on the season, and they remained 4-3 in conference play, good for second in the America East.
Bates’ record is now 14-8 on the year as they never could really get into an offensive groove during the game. Catcher Webb Gordy had a good day, going 2-4 with one RBI in the losing effort. Center fielder Pat Murphy also had a good day, going 2-3 while scoring one of Bates’ two runs on the day. Starter Alexander Karl took the loss for Bates, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up five of Maine’s seven earned runs. Karl struck out five batters in the outing, while also walking six.
Bates did play better than the score indicated in this game. Without Lewis’s contribution, Maine went just 2-25 in the game. This has to be a concern for the Black Bears, especially with a long run of conference play coming up, with the Bears playing Albany, Binghamton, Hartford, and Stony Brook within the next few weeks. Maine was picked to win the America East this season in a pre-season poll by the coaches, and has had some inconsistencies with their pitching and hitting which have led to the Bears being only four games over .500. The offense has been picking it up lately, behind the strong play of Taylor Lewis and catcher Joe Mercucio, both hitting well over .300 on the year and pacing the offense.
Maine heads into the home stretch of the season with high hopes that began in February, and hope that the confidence put in them was not in vain.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
10-1 Twitter and Haiti
Tweak the Tweets a Great Idea for Crises
Kate Starbird, a University of Colorado graduate student, has come up with an idea that manipulates one of the most popular networking sites into a site that can potentially help people in crisis. Her idea of “Tweak the Tweet” is essentially turning a Twitter post into a cry for help, or a request for aid in any way during a disaster, such as Haiti. Tweets that have a certain syntax and format send certain messages to the computer, and allow people to notify others that they are in need. The program is working and Haiti is an example of this.
The change in the syntax of the “tweets” uses the # symbol along with key words in order to distinguish. There is a site here, showing examples of how the syntax is different from a normal “tweet.”
The earthquake in Haiti was one of the most devastating natural disasters that we have seen in a long time. The earthquake affected millions of families, whether that was by destroying homes, ruining other buildings, or displacing a loved one away from the rest of his or her family. After the earthquake, there was a scramble to find even the basic necessities needed to live or to find everyone that had been displaced or killed during the disaster. And how were we supposed to know where to help specifically. Granted, I realize that Twitter can only do so much in terms of helping, but I think it is an encouraging sign that we have the ability to change something so well known just for social networking, into an agent that can help save lives.
I think this is an encouraging time in an age where we are kind of getting sucked into the world of technology. Technology can be helpful, but also very scary at the same time. Certainly a case can be made that with more technological advances comes more crime and more opportunities for people to make the wrong choice. However, I think that the “Tweak the Tweet” idea and its application to the crisis is an encouraging sign that it is in fact a good thing that technology, especially networking tools such as Twitter, are making the world smaller for a good purpose.
Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/02/haiti-quake-propels-twitter-community-mapping-efforts.html
http://epic.cs.colorado.edu/more_before_and_after_examp.html
Kate Starbird, a University of Colorado graduate student, has come up with an idea that manipulates one of the most popular networking sites into a site that can potentially help people in crisis. Her idea of “Tweak the Tweet” is essentially turning a Twitter post into a cry for help, or a request for aid in any way during a disaster, such as Haiti. Tweets that have a certain syntax and format send certain messages to the computer, and allow people to notify others that they are in need. The program is working and Haiti is an example of this.
The change in the syntax of the “tweets” uses the # symbol along with key words in order to distinguish. There is a site here, showing examples of how the syntax is different from a normal “tweet.”
The earthquake in Haiti was one of the most devastating natural disasters that we have seen in a long time. The earthquake affected millions of families, whether that was by destroying homes, ruining other buildings, or displacing a loved one away from the rest of his or her family. After the earthquake, there was a scramble to find even the basic necessities needed to live or to find everyone that had been displaced or killed during the disaster. And how were we supposed to know where to help specifically. Granted, I realize that Twitter can only do so much in terms of helping, but I think it is an encouraging sign that we have the ability to change something so well known just for social networking, into an agent that can help save lives.
I think this is an encouraging time in an age where we are kind of getting sucked into the world of technology. Technology can be helpful, but also very scary at the same time. Certainly a case can be made that with more technological advances comes more crime and more opportunities for people to make the wrong choice. However, I think that the “Tweak the Tweet” idea and its application to the crisis is an encouraging sign that it is in fact a good thing that technology, especially networking tools such as Twitter, are making the world smaller for a good purpose.
Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/02/haiti-quake-propels-twitter-community-mapping-efforts.html
http://epic.cs.colorado.edu/more_before_and_after_examp.html
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Assignment 9-1
Student Senate Holds Open Forum to Discuss Cuts
Orono--- University of Maine Student Senate held an open forum type meeting last Tuesday in order to give students the opportunity to voice their opinions about the proposed budget cuts that would mostly affect the modern language program, as well as the music and departments.
The 20% budget cut forced on the university would lead to the modern languages program, women’s studies program, and public administration to be cut completely, while some of the other departments within the liberal arts college would be condensed. Also, some of the engineering degrees would be combined. This massive cut has students, both current and prospective students worried.
University singers lead the meeting off by singing some selections, and the French club followed them by giving a short presentation, all in French, as to why their program is significant and should not be cut. The most powerful of all of the speakers though were the students by far. Around 20-30 students got up individually, with a five minute limit, and were able to state his or her case for not cutting a particular program.
Out of these speakers, one that really touched the crowd was a young man who attends the university under the arts program. The gentleman was not a stereotypical arts student as one might think of one. He stated how he was raised in northern Maine, was a staunch republican, and about his service in the military. His personality did not fit the average arts student, but he touched the crowd with his testimony. “To take away the arts would take away a part of my life” the student said.
After all of the student opinions, the senate unanimously passed a resolution written by UMaine student Katie Hess, which was essentially a sentiment by the students against the proposed cuts. This may do relatively little in the eyes of the administration, which has to make cuts somewhere in order to comply with orders, student voice at the university showed how strong it really was.
The deans of the colleges, the Provost, and the President of UMaine attended this meeting, but did not speak and did not take questions. They were there to simply oversee the meeting and listen to the voice of the students of the university.
Orono--- University of Maine Student Senate held an open forum type meeting last Tuesday in order to give students the opportunity to voice their opinions about the proposed budget cuts that would mostly affect the modern language program, as well as the music and departments.
The 20% budget cut forced on the university would lead to the modern languages program, women’s studies program, and public administration to be cut completely, while some of the other departments within the liberal arts college would be condensed. Also, some of the engineering degrees would be combined. This massive cut has students, both current and prospective students worried.
University singers lead the meeting off by singing some selections, and the French club followed them by giving a short presentation, all in French, as to why their program is significant and should not be cut. The most powerful of all of the speakers though were the students by far. Around 20-30 students got up individually, with a five minute limit, and were able to state his or her case for not cutting a particular program.
Out of these speakers, one that really touched the crowd was a young man who attends the university under the arts program. The gentleman was not a stereotypical arts student as one might think of one. He stated how he was raised in northern Maine, was a staunch republican, and about his service in the military. His personality did not fit the average arts student, but he touched the crowd with his testimony. “To take away the arts would take away a part of my life” the student said.
After all of the student opinions, the senate unanimously passed a resolution written by UMaine student Katie Hess, which was essentially a sentiment by the students against the proposed cuts. This may do relatively little in the eyes of the administration, which has to make cuts somewhere in order to comply with orders, student voice at the university showed how strong it really was.
The deans of the colleges, the Provost, and the President of UMaine attended this meeting, but did not speak and did not take questions. They were there to simply oversee the meeting and listen to the voice of the students of the university.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
8-2 re write of 6-3
Oxford County Casino Proposal Making Progress
Oxford County, Maine--- Black Bear Entertainment LLC, the group of business owners that are backing the casino proposal for Oxford County, made another step last Thursday when the Legal and Veterans Affairs committee held a public hearing for the proposal. The proposed casino can either be turned down or accepted by lawmakers through a vote. However, the bill does not lose much momentum because if the bill is rejected through the vote by lawmakers, it will go to a popular vote later on this year.
Casinos in Maine have always been a center of controversy. In general, there is typically quite a bit of opposition against building casinos in Maine due to the fact that casinos encourage gambling, and there is a belief that with casinos come crime. Maine is the safest states crime-wise according to the government census website, and people that oppose the bill would like to keep it that way. The people who support casinos in Maine typically argue that casinos are a great source of income for the state that it operates in. Black Bear Entertainment LLC’s casino proposal would be taxed 42%, one of the highest tax rates in the country. All of that money would be distributed around the state, and would contribute to the University of Maine system (4%), Maine’s community colleges (3%), as well as the K-12 educational systems throughout the state (25%). In a state that is under a lot of economic stress, a casino looks like a possible combatant to this problem, and that would be a casino.
Black Bear Entertainment is taking a different route in their pursuit of a casino in Maine. The careful construction of the wording of the bill was important in pushing forward the bill, as many casino proposals have failed in the past. This particular group made sure that the gambling age would not change, and it would remain at 21. In addition to this, the group supporting the bill also made sure that the Maine Gambling Control Board would have more power in overseeing the activities of the casino. By keeping the methods of control in the hands of both the casino owners and the state together, Black Bear Entertainment is hoping that this bill will go through more amicably
Although Black Bear Entertainment’s proposal looks friendly, there is some opposition to the proposed casino. The Bangor city council overall opposes the bill, citing that the Oxford County casino would have a different set of standards in comparison to Bangor’s Hollywood Slots, with an emphasis on the Oxford casino paying out 3% less taxes than Hollywood Slots. “There has to be a uniform law on this,” said Councilor Pat Blanchette.
Oxford County senator David Hastings III could not be reached for comment, and Mike Michaud could not be reached for comment directly on the issue, but a representative from his Bangor office stated that since this issue is state-related, Michaud did not have a formal opinion on the casino, because he deals more with federal issues.
The wheels are in motion, but the likely state-wide vote towards the end of the year may ultimately determine the fate of the proposed casino. Voters seem to be fairly split, with younger voters being more pro-casino, and older voters being more against the bill. “I understand the casino would bring in more money into our county, which is nice, but I just don’t think it is what this county needs right now,” said Ann Marie Eldridge, 42, of Oxford County, “With casinos comes a lot of baggage.”
Younger voters that support the bill focus on the economic boost that Oxford County, as well as Maine, will receive because of the casino. “A casino would put something of worth, something fun in our county. Maine overall is very boring and I think this would be good to put us on the map with other states that have casinos, like Connecticut” said Jeffery Eldridge, 21, son of Ann Marie and resident of Oxford County.
With the decision likely going to a state-wide vote later on this year, it appears that Maine has on its hands one of the most anticipated and closely monitored casino votes that it has ever seen.
Sources
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news45314.html
http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/maine/87459692.html
http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/139049.html
Oxford County, Maine--- Black Bear Entertainment LLC, the group of business owners that are backing the casino proposal for Oxford County, made another step last Thursday when the Legal and Veterans Affairs committee held a public hearing for the proposal. The proposed casino can either be turned down or accepted by lawmakers through a vote. However, the bill does not lose much momentum because if the bill is rejected through the vote by lawmakers, it will go to a popular vote later on this year.
Casinos in Maine have always been a center of controversy. In general, there is typically quite a bit of opposition against building casinos in Maine due to the fact that casinos encourage gambling, and there is a belief that with casinos come crime. Maine is the safest states crime-wise according to the government census website, and people that oppose the bill would like to keep it that way. The people who support casinos in Maine typically argue that casinos are a great source of income for the state that it operates in. Black Bear Entertainment LLC’s casino proposal would be taxed 42%, one of the highest tax rates in the country. All of that money would be distributed around the state, and would contribute to the University of Maine system (4%), Maine’s community colleges (3%), as well as the K-12 educational systems throughout the state (25%). In a state that is under a lot of economic stress, a casino looks like a possible combatant to this problem, and that would be a casino.
Black Bear Entertainment is taking a different route in their pursuit of a casino in Maine. The careful construction of the wording of the bill was important in pushing forward the bill, as many casino proposals have failed in the past. This particular group made sure that the gambling age would not change, and it would remain at 21. In addition to this, the group supporting the bill also made sure that the Maine Gambling Control Board would have more power in overseeing the activities of the casino. By keeping the methods of control in the hands of both the casino owners and the state together, Black Bear Entertainment is hoping that this bill will go through more amicably
Although Black Bear Entertainment’s proposal looks friendly, there is some opposition to the proposed casino. The Bangor city council overall opposes the bill, citing that the Oxford County casino would have a different set of standards in comparison to Bangor’s Hollywood Slots, with an emphasis on the Oxford casino paying out 3% less taxes than Hollywood Slots. “There has to be a uniform law on this,” said Councilor Pat Blanchette.
Oxford County senator David Hastings III could not be reached for comment, and Mike Michaud could not be reached for comment directly on the issue, but a representative from his Bangor office stated that since this issue is state-related, Michaud did not have a formal opinion on the casino, because he deals more with federal issues.
The wheels are in motion, but the likely state-wide vote towards the end of the year may ultimately determine the fate of the proposed casino. Voters seem to be fairly split, with younger voters being more pro-casino, and older voters being more against the bill. “I understand the casino would bring in more money into our county, which is nice, but I just don’t think it is what this county needs right now,” said Ann Marie Eldridge, 42, of Oxford County, “With casinos comes a lot of baggage.”
Younger voters that support the bill focus on the economic boost that Oxford County, as well as Maine, will receive because of the casino. “A casino would put something of worth, something fun in our county. Maine overall is very boring and I think this would be good to put us on the map with other states that have casinos, like Connecticut” said Jeffery Eldridge, 21, son of Ann Marie and resident of Oxford County.
With the decision likely going to a state-wide vote later on this year, it appears that Maine has on its hands one of the most anticipated and closely monitored casino votes that it has ever seen.
Sources
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news45314.html
http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/maine/87459692.html
http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/139049.html
Monday, March 15, 2010
Assignment 6-3: Oxford County Casino Proposal Making Progress
Maine--- Black Bear Entertainment LLC, the group of business owners that are backing the casino proposal for Oxford County, made another step last Thursday when the Legal and Veterans Affairs committee held a public hearing for the proposal. The proposed casino can either be turned down or accepted by lawmakers through a vote. However, the bill does not lose much momentum because if the bill is rejected through the vote by lawmakers, it will go to a popular vote later on this year.
Casinos in Maine have always been a center of controversy. In general, there is typically quite a bit of opposition against building casinos in Maine due to the fact that casinos encourage gambling, and there is a belief that with casinos come crime. Maine is the safest states crime-wise according to the government census website, and people that oppose the bill would like to keep it that way. The people who support casinos in Maine typically argue that casinos are a great source of income for the state that it operates in. Black Bear Entertainment LLC’s casino proposal would be taxed 42%, one of the highest tax rates in the country. All of that money would be distributed around the state, and would contribute to the University of Maine system (4%), Maine’s community colleges (3%), as well as the K-12 educational systems throughout the state (25%). In a state that is under a lot of economic stress, the casino supporters think they have found a possible combatant to this problem, and that would be a casino.
Black Bear Entertainment is taking a different route in their pursuit of a casino in Maine. The careful construction of the wording of the bill was important in pushing forward the bill, as many casinos proposals have failed in the past. This particular group made sure that the gambling age would not change, and it would remain at 21. In addition to this, the group supporting the bill also made sure that the Maine Gambling Control Board would have more power in overseeing the activities of the casino. By keeping the methods of control in the hands of both the casino owners and the state together, Black Bear Entertainment is hoping that this bill will go through more amicably. The wheels are in motion, but the likely state-wide vote towards the end of the year may ultimately determine the fate of the proposed casino.
Sources
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news45314.html
http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/maine/87459692.html
http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html
Casinos in Maine have always been a center of controversy. In general, there is typically quite a bit of opposition against building casinos in Maine due to the fact that casinos encourage gambling, and there is a belief that with casinos come crime. Maine is the safest states crime-wise according to the government census website, and people that oppose the bill would like to keep it that way. The people who support casinos in Maine typically argue that casinos are a great source of income for the state that it operates in. Black Bear Entertainment LLC’s casino proposal would be taxed 42%, one of the highest tax rates in the country. All of that money would be distributed around the state, and would contribute to the University of Maine system (4%), Maine’s community colleges (3%), as well as the K-12 educational systems throughout the state (25%). In a state that is under a lot of economic stress, the casino supporters think they have found a possible combatant to this problem, and that would be a casino.
Black Bear Entertainment is taking a different route in their pursuit of a casino in Maine. The careful construction of the wording of the bill was important in pushing forward the bill, as many casinos proposals have failed in the past. This particular group made sure that the gambling age would not change, and it would remain at 21. In addition to this, the group supporting the bill also made sure that the Maine Gambling Control Board would have more power in overseeing the activities of the casino. By keeping the methods of control in the hands of both the casino owners and the state together, Black Bear Entertainment is hoping that this bill will go through more amicably. The wheels are in motion, but the likely state-wide vote towards the end of the year may ultimately determine the fate of the proposed casino.
Sources
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news45314.html
http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/maine/87459692.html
http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html
Friday, February 19, 2010
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2010
Contact: Tylor Tourville
University of Maine
Kennebec Hall Rm 209
Orono, ME 04469
"International Dance Festival Gives Umaine students a Taste of many Cultures"
Umaine, Orono-- University of Maine students will have the opportunity to experience culture from the perspective of dance at this year's International Dance Festival. Perfomances from over 9 countries, and styles of dance that vary from belly dancing, to swing dancing, and almost everything in between.
The International Dance Festival is in its 6th year now, and is going as strong as ever. Last year saw the most success, with over 100 participants, and drew over 2,000people who attended the event. This year hopefully will be no different, as students and other contributors have been working just as hard to put on yet another unoforgettable show. Needless to say, the International Dance Festival has become a mainstay in the culture of Umaine. The performances are sure to be exciting and entertaining, while also giving Umaine students a taste of a variety of cultures.
The performance will take place at the Collins Center for the Arts this Saturday, February 20, 2010. There will be two showings, one at 2PM and the other at 7PM. Due to the generosity of several sources, including the Office International Programs, International Student association, and Student Government, and is free for Umaine students with a Mainecard.
We hope to see many students and faculty at this year's International Dance Festival.
Warmest regards,
(This is where I would sign)
Tylor Tourville
PR Correspondant
February 19, 2010
Contact: Tylor Tourville
University of Maine
Kennebec Hall Rm 209
Orono, ME 04469
"International Dance Festival Gives Umaine students a Taste of many Cultures"
Umaine, Orono-- University of Maine students will have the opportunity to experience culture from the perspective of dance at this year's International Dance Festival. Perfomances from over 9 countries, and styles of dance that vary from belly dancing, to swing dancing, and almost everything in between.
The International Dance Festival is in its 6th year now, and is going as strong as ever. Last year saw the most success, with over 100 participants, and drew over 2,000people who attended the event. This year hopefully will be no different, as students and other contributors have been working just as hard to put on yet another unoforgettable show. Needless to say, the International Dance Festival has become a mainstay in the culture of Umaine. The performances are sure to be exciting and entertaining, while also giving Umaine students a taste of a variety of cultures.
The performance will take place at the Collins Center for the Arts this Saturday, February 20, 2010. There will be two showings, one at 2PM and the other at 7PM. Due to the generosity of several sources, including the Office International Programs, International Student association, and Student Government, and is free for Umaine students with a Mainecard.
We hope to see many students and faculty at this year's International Dance Festival.
Warmest regards,
(This is where I would sign)
Tylor Tourville
PR Correspondant
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Profile Story: Ryan Martin, Sophomore Guard for the Umaine Black Bears
Waiting to Go Off
After a stellar pre-collegiate career, Ryan Martin, a red shirt freshman of the University of Maine Black Bears, is waiting for his moment to explode onto the Division I scene.
“I’m just sitting in the shadows, working my butt off every day. One day you’re going to see what I’ve got,” red shirt sophomore Ryan Martin calmly explained to me. However, sitting in the shadows is something that Ryan has never done before.
Ryan Martin’s basketball accolades basically date back to when he could hold a basketball. From recreational league basketball, to AAU, to a high school career in which he scored an unheard of 1,899 points, Martin has seen the spotlight and garnered attention wherever there is a basketball. In addition to all of this, Martin states that one of the most important accomplishments came when he was about ten years old. He won a national free-throw shooting contest in which he hit forty-nine out of fifty free-throws. “It is one of my most vivid memories looking back,” Martin explains, “that, and the two state championships I won when I was at Maranacook (High School).”
Judging from Martin’s success, one might guess that the transition into the ocean from the proverbial small pond of Maranacook would shock him. Ryan says that he’s gotten used to it, but that his past success is what will ultimately drive him to success when he gets his chance to showcase what he is made out of. Although he is known for being rather mild mannered and quiet on and off the court, there is always an aurora of confidence that surrounds him, and he is a big believer in the phrase, “actions speak louder than words.” However, I did prod him to see just how good he thinks he is. “I think that deep down I can play in the league,” explained Ryan in a calm, confident voice, “I have a lot of confidence in my ability as a player, and when my chance comes, you better believe I am not going to miss it.”
When I asked Ryan where his love of the game came from, he gave a lot of credit to his father, as well as his older sister, who is currently playing professionally overseas. “Basketball was never forced upon me, but my parents and my sister always supported to the fullest.” Needless to say, basketball is as much a part of him as his own body parts, or his personality. And as he waits in the shadows of this season, one thing is for sure; we do not want to miss it when he explodes onto the scene.
After a stellar pre-collegiate career, Ryan Martin, a red shirt freshman of the University of Maine Black Bears, is waiting for his moment to explode onto the Division I scene.
“I’m just sitting in the shadows, working my butt off every day. One day you’re going to see what I’ve got,” red shirt sophomore Ryan Martin calmly explained to me. However, sitting in the shadows is something that Ryan has never done before.
Ryan Martin’s basketball accolades basically date back to when he could hold a basketball. From recreational league basketball, to AAU, to a high school career in which he scored an unheard of 1,899 points, Martin has seen the spotlight and garnered attention wherever there is a basketball. In addition to all of this, Martin states that one of the most important accomplishments came when he was about ten years old. He won a national free-throw shooting contest in which he hit forty-nine out of fifty free-throws. “It is one of my most vivid memories looking back,” Martin explains, “that, and the two state championships I won when I was at Maranacook (High School).”
Judging from Martin’s success, one might guess that the transition into the ocean from the proverbial small pond of Maranacook would shock him. Ryan says that he’s gotten used to it, but that his past success is what will ultimately drive him to success when he gets his chance to showcase what he is made out of. Although he is known for being rather mild mannered and quiet on and off the court, there is always an aurora of confidence that surrounds him, and he is a big believer in the phrase, “actions speak louder than words.” However, I did prod him to see just how good he thinks he is. “I think that deep down I can play in the league,” explained Ryan in a calm, confident voice, “I have a lot of confidence in my ability as a player, and when my chance comes, you better believe I am not going to miss it.”
When I asked Ryan where his love of the game came from, he gave a lot of credit to his father, as well as his older sister, who is currently playing professionally overseas. “Basketball was never forced upon me, but my parents and my sister always supported to the fullest.” Needless to say, basketball is as much a part of him as his own body parts, or his personality. And as he waits in the shadows of this season, one thing is for sure; we do not want to miss it when he explodes onto the scene.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Response to a News Story: WLBZ2 Bangor
Toy Gun Suspension
This particular newscast pertains to 9 year-old Patrick Timoeny, who sat in the principal's office facing possible suspension from school for playing with a two-inch plastic gun. This news story was very well written for the most part, as I only heard a passive verb tense once in the broadcast, which is when the reporter stated that Patrick was, "threatened with suspension". Other than that, the story was well written in terms of style and mechanics.
In terms of content, however, I felt like the story lacked an objective aspect of reporting the story. To the average person, this story would seem to only have one side to it. However, I think it is important to keep in mind that the people in charge of running schools should always be on guard, and take nothing lightly. Obviously the toy gun could do little or damage to anyone in the school, however, it seems as though whenever guns are concerned, it raises concern. The reporting on this story heavily favored the side of Patrick and his family. Patrick, along with his mother, father answered questions for the reporters. On top of this, another parent and student answered questions, and gave their respective commentary on the events. The reporters, however, failed to interview anyone from the school, and only mentioned that the principal would not comment to the press in this situation.
In addition to the lack of reporting on the other side of this controversy, the actually writing of the story favored the side of Patrick. Patrick was "threatened" with suspension, he "sat in the principal's office in tears", and at one point little Patrick even called out the principal herself, telling reporters that he did not know why the principal wanted to create a "commotion." Although I do agree with the angle that the news station took on this story, I feel like the reporters and people working on writing this story could have taken a less biased approach to an issue that does in fact have two sides.
This particular newscast pertains to 9 year-old Patrick Timoeny, who sat in the principal's office facing possible suspension from school for playing with a two-inch plastic gun. This news story was very well written for the most part, as I only heard a passive verb tense once in the broadcast, which is when the reporter stated that Patrick was, "threatened with suspension". Other than that, the story was well written in terms of style and mechanics.
In terms of content, however, I felt like the story lacked an objective aspect of reporting the story. To the average person, this story would seem to only have one side to it. However, I think it is important to keep in mind that the people in charge of running schools should always be on guard, and take nothing lightly. Obviously the toy gun could do little or damage to anyone in the school, however, it seems as though whenever guns are concerned, it raises concern. The reporting on this story heavily favored the side of Patrick and his family. Patrick, along with his mother, father answered questions for the reporters. On top of this, another parent and student answered questions, and gave their respective commentary on the events. The reporters, however, failed to interview anyone from the school, and only mentioned that the principal would not comment to the press in this situation.
In addition to the lack of reporting on the other side of this controversy, the actually writing of the story favored the side of Patrick. Patrick was "threatened" with suspension, he "sat in the principal's office in tears", and at one point little Patrick even called out the principal herself, telling reporters that he did not know why the principal wanted to create a "commotion." Although I do agree with the angle that the news station took on this story, I feel like the reporters and people working on writing this story could have taken a less biased approach to an issue that does in fact have two sides.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Media Consolidation: My Take
Media consolidation is an aspect of news today that I feel slips under our radar far too often. We see news on television, hear it on the radio, or read it in newspapers, and take it for granted that these are the stories that we need to hear about. However, what we do not know is that it is very possible that every one of those mediums of news that we sought for information was actually all owned by the same person, with his or her own agenda in mind.
When I think of news, I think of unbiased fact and stories. I think of stories that matter to the people; stories that matter to me. In order to be good citizens and make decisions for our community,
i think it is our right to know exactly what is going on in our local community where we live, as well as world news that may have more significant implications. In addition to this, I think the media keeping the government in check and being the "watchdog" like we discussed in class is also a key job of the media. A lot of what happens in the government, as well as huge corporations that wield great power, happens behind closed doors as they make decisions that will affect the people under them. I want this from our media sources, and I do not want to have to think twice about the stories I hear or read, second-guessing the hidden agenda of the news that is being reported to me.
In class we came up with about five or six of the major news owners in the United States today. With so few presiding over almost all of the media that we have access to, the natural question to ask is, "Are we getting all of the news?". And although media consolidation seems like an unstoppable force, there is still hope for news. Things such as the internet and blogging, along with localized news have been putting up a fight to keep news for the people, and let's just hope it puts up a good fight.
When I think of news, I think of unbiased fact and stories. I think of stories that matter to the people; stories that matter to me. In order to be good citizens and make decisions for our community,
i think it is our right to know exactly what is going on in our local community where we live, as well as world news that may have more significant implications. In addition to this, I think the media keeping the government in check and being the "watchdog" like we discussed in class is also a key job of the media. A lot of what happens in the government, as well as huge corporations that wield great power, happens behind closed doors as they make decisions that will affect the people under them. I want this from our media sources, and I do not want to have to think twice about the stories I hear or read, second-guessing the hidden agenda of the news that is being reported to me.
In class we came up with about five or six of the major news owners in the United States today. With so few presiding over almost all of the media that we have access to, the natural question to ask is, "Are we getting all of the news?". And although media consolidation seems like an unstoppable force, there is still hope for news. Things such as the internet and blogging, along with localized news have been putting up a fight to keep news for the people, and let's just hope it puts up a good fight.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Critiquing a Contempoary News Article: Oil Spill in Texas
"Cleanup under way in 462,000-gallon spill off Texas"
I think that this article is a very good example of how to use the components of a story outlined in Melvin Mencher's Text, "News Reporting and Writing". The article is from CNN's website, a very well known and respected news source in the United States.The story reports on a massive oil spill that occurred in Texas, about one hundred miles away of Houston. Oil spills are certainly a scary event for many reasons. The industry is losing the oil that was spilled, as well as the equipment that broke causing the spill: two barges and a tanker that contained the oil. In addition to this, the environmental aspects of an oil spill are always the first to come to mind. With this being said, I think that this article does a nice job of covering all of the crucial facts of the story in an appropriate way if we are to grade it using Mencher's criteria.
For example, I thought that the way the information was presented in the article was brief and focused. The article only spans for approximately a full page on the internet, and yet it contained all of the necessary information to get the story across. I feel like the information was as accurate as it could be, even though there was a lot of secondhand and thirdhand information in the story. Direct quotes backed up the journalists story as he or she told it. Considering the situation, I think that CNN got the most accurate information available, as it would be extremely fortuitous if a journalist from CNN had been at the right place at the right time to actually see the accident occur. And when I say fortuitous, I am strictly talking about the reporting on the story itself, not the actual accident.
One thing in particular that I think the CNN journalist did especially well was anticipating the questions that readers may have while reading the article, and then supplying the appropriate information to leave the reader satisfied, which is one of the components Mencher keys in on in his text. Personally, as I was reading the article, the natural questions that I was thinking were answered almost immediately after I thought them. For example, I was wondering if there were any injuries, to humans or animals. Shortly after the initial information about the accident was presented, the journalist wrote about the fact that there were no human injuries, and that only one heron was "oiled".
Overall I believe the article was well written, stayed very objective, and gave all of the information necessary to give the people a clear view of this horrible accident in Texas.
I think that this article is a very good example of how to use the components of a story outlined in Melvin Mencher's Text, "News Reporting and Writing". The article is from CNN's website, a very well known and respected news source in the United States.The story reports on a massive oil spill that occurred in Texas, about one hundred miles away of Houston. Oil spills are certainly a scary event for many reasons. The industry is losing the oil that was spilled, as well as the equipment that broke causing the spill: two barges and a tanker that contained the oil. In addition to this, the environmental aspects of an oil spill are always the first to come to mind. With this being said, I think that this article does a nice job of covering all of the crucial facts of the story in an appropriate way if we are to grade it using Mencher's criteria.
For example, I thought that the way the information was presented in the article was brief and focused. The article only spans for approximately a full page on the internet, and yet it contained all of the necessary information to get the story across. I feel like the information was as accurate as it could be, even though there was a lot of secondhand and thirdhand information in the story. Direct quotes backed up the journalists story as he or she told it. Considering the situation, I think that CNN got the most accurate information available, as it would be extremely fortuitous if a journalist from CNN had been at the right place at the right time to actually see the accident occur. And when I say fortuitous, I am strictly talking about the reporting on the story itself, not the actual accident.
One thing in particular that I think the CNN journalist did especially well was anticipating the questions that readers may have while reading the article, and then supplying the appropriate information to leave the reader satisfied, which is one of the components Mencher keys in on in his text. Personally, as I was reading the article, the natural questions that I was thinking were answered almost immediately after I thought them. For example, I was wondering if there were any injuries, to humans or animals. Shortly after the initial information about the accident was presented, the journalist wrote about the fact that there were no human injuries, and that only one heron was "oiled".
Overall I believe the article was well written, stayed very objective, and gave all of the information necessary to give the people a clear view of this horrible accident in Texas.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Why Do I Want to be a Journalist?
My love of sports has always been a driving force in my pursuit of a career in the communication/journalism field. It would be my dream job to eventually be an announcer or analyst for ESPN or any major sports network. Of course I am realistic in my goals, and so I also chose the communication field of study because I feel like communicating is a strength of mine that I would like to fully tap into. Language is such a critical tool to have in life, because we use it every day that we are alive. If you cannot communicate effectively, or report what you see effectively, life becomes increasingly difficult, especially as we grow up and have to depend on our communication skills more and more to advance in our lives both professional, as well as socially. So I guess communication and journalism is an interest of mine, and I would like to explore these things in order to help me achieve my goals in life on my career track.
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