A Profile Story on the First Dog

While many profile stories are focused on people, places or things, this story focuses on one of the most anticipated occurrences in President Obama’s term thus far; the arrival of the puppy promised to the young ladies of the Obama family.
The decision has been dragged out for some time now, but Easter weekend brought the leak that thousands of Americans had been waiting for. The breed is a Portuguese water dog and the pooch was given as a gift from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. While the little boy came from a previous home with the name Charlie, Malia and Sasha renamed him Bo.
Bo was trained by the Kennedy’s dog trainers prior to his arrival at the White House.
This story is one that people of both parties can relate to. No matter how someone voted or what their views are on the President’s agenda, a dog lover cannot help but appreciate the excitement that the first family is facing with the arrival of their first family pet.

photo by Pete Souza The White House/WashingtonPost

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-dog12-2009apr12,0,5902952.story

“The Worlds 50 Most Powerful Blogs” Leaves Something for Everyone

This article starts out by observing what brought blogging into the spotlight of mainstream media. It all started with Arianna Huffington, a wealthy socialite, who decided to jump on board with the underground fad. Needless to say, the Huffington Post made the number one slot under the 50 most popular blogs.
Among the top five blogs came “Boing Boing”; a liberal blog that ties in quirky little side notes to keep its readers entertained, “Techcrunch”; a blog focused on the ever changing technology that we are constantly dependent on, “Kottke”; an un opinionated blog with links to websites and articles that interest the blogger and “Dooce”; the personal blog of Heather Armstrong.
One popular blog that came in as number 11 was “The Drudge Report” which got its claim to fame by leaking the scandalous Clinton-Lewinsky phenomenon. Readers face a love hate relationship with the Drudge due to its tabloid feel. It is certainly one that is known of by many and despite its sense of gossip, people cant help but read what the latest buzz is.
The top 50 blogs vary greatly leaving something for everyone and a small glimpse into the ever growing world of blogging.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/09/blogs

Facebook; A College Fad Taken Over by the Baby Boomers

This online news story came from The New York Times. Its title, “Is Facebook Growing up Too Fast?” gives a clear insight to what will be read about over the next four pages.
The article evaluates the rapid changes that Facebook has made in the five years that it has been around. Starting in Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room, this social network has expanded to over two hundred million users in just five years.
Today, the little changes that Facebook makes to keep up with all of its users and to keep a fresh face on the web site tends to spark distaste for its users and often causes little groups to pop up speaking out against the new innovations.
Facebook started as a way for college students to connect and became a popular replacement to the clustered MySpace almost instantaneously. It was a social network that gave college students the opportunity to be in their own community away from parents, employers and high school students.
Within months, the site was opened to high school users and today, adults seem to be just as addicted to the social networking tool as the college crowd has been for the past five years.
It is frustrating to have to constantly reject my own mother’s friend requests on a social network that I share with my friends. Clearly, Zuckerberg realized the profitable possibilities to opening up the networking to the rest of the world; however, as a college student, the fact that Facebook is accessible to my grandmother and sixth graders with their trendy new iPhones makes me want to delete my Facebook for good.
Will I? Not a chance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/technology/internet/29face.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1