Being a member of the NewsLINC Web Producing staff, there are many things I like about the site, which aided in my decision to web produce after trying out the praciticum last semester.
As was the case in my WOOD TV8 critique, I like the tabs across the top of the page to navigate to stories throughout the NEK, Vermont, New Hampshire, sports news, the latest weather, and special events such as town meeting.
I also like the headline bar towards the top of the page, cycling between the three most recent stories (though sometimes it changes before I can finish reading the tease.) This way, the fresh news stays at the top. However, if there's anything breaking, it will be sure to stick around the top.
The four most recent stories after that hang around below the headline section.
I'm also a fan of the thumbnail pictures next to each story. It's a fresh reminder that we are a legitmate source of news, because that's something you would see on bigger news stations' websites. A possible improvement would be access to videos from the homepage, rather than having to click on a story and going to a new page to do so.
Something else that I like about the NewsLINC website lives at the bottom of the page. There's a module on the bottom-left of the page, with three stories that will be featured that night on News7. It's a nice reminder as you're leaving the website to tune into our nightly newscast.
I would give it a 6 out of 5 stars. ;)
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Courtland Hanley, Elyssa Ellis
ENG 2155: Intro to Multimedia Storytelling
Dan Williams
Due 9/25/2013
Relationships are a very important aspect of life that can help an individual grow socially and psychologically. They can be long, wonderful, and supportive events that could last nearly a lifetime. Relationships can also be devestatating, changing a person forever. A key timeframe regarding relationships is the late teen-mid twenties age bracket, a time when many people are in college.
There are many pros and cons to relationships in college, and thus many different opinions on them. As far as pros go, maybe the biggest one is the immediacy of a partner on (or near) your campus. Having someone physically and emotionally right there for you is an amazing feeling during a strong relationship. While the statistic claiming 90% of people marry their high school sweetheart is a bit far-fetched, many people do marry their high school sweetheart, and plenty of others find love in college or graduate school. It's easy to find compatability during college, especially within your major. If you're in the same major as someone, you're likely in it because you have similiar interests - something that's key to any healthy relationship. Another reason college may help you find a healthy relationship is the fact that many students change and truly find themselves as they move out on their own into the real world. Being on your own helps one find themself more, and once you accept yourself for who truly are, it's easier to accept someone else, and perhaps engage in a relationship. These exact changes can also be the very reason a relationship goes sour.
Change can strain a relationship, because not everyone handles change well. Many people experience their worst heartbreak around this age. As school and work begin to take over a student's life, it leaves less time for a social life and significant others. Another reason relationships don't work is long distance. If partners go to different schools, they lose that immediacy, and trust becomes an issue. Even if you trust your partner, it's a different thing to trust the hundreds of people around them for months at a time. Also, alcohol always lowers inhibitions, and people do things the normally wouldn't (or use alcohol as an excuse to do something they want to do but shouldn't.)
For those who seek alternatives to relationships, those are available, especially in the college atmosphere. "Friends with benefits" is the most popular alternative, but often becomes complicated and messy. Friends with benefits generally consists of all of the physical perks of a relationship, without the emotional attachment. However, it's difficult to keep things strictly physical; eventually time spent together leads to feelings, and complications arise. Some people may want to avoid friends with benefits though, as that can generally lead to a distasteful reputation, epsecially for the female involved.
The college years have the potential to be the best years of your life. Finding (or sustaining) a relationship throughout these years can be a big factor in how well those years go, and if it lasts, how the rest of your life goes. Relationships also have the potential to ruin part of that experience. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to relationships in college, but there are different options, and hopefully most people find something that works for them.
ENG 2155: Intro to Multimedia Storytelling
Dan Williams
Due 9/25/2013
Podcast Assignment - Relationships in College
There are many pros and cons to relationships in college, and thus many different opinions on them. As far as pros go, maybe the biggest one is the immediacy of a partner on (or near) your campus. Having someone physically and emotionally right there for you is an amazing feeling during a strong relationship. While the statistic claiming 90% of people marry their high school sweetheart is a bit far-fetched, many people do marry their high school sweetheart, and plenty of others find love in college or graduate school. It's easy to find compatability during college, especially within your major. If you're in the same major as someone, you're likely in it because you have similiar interests - something that's key to any healthy relationship. Another reason college may help you find a healthy relationship is the fact that many students change and truly find themselves as they move out on their own into the real world. Being on your own helps one find themself more, and once you accept yourself for who truly are, it's easier to accept someone else, and perhaps engage in a relationship. These exact changes can also be the very reason a relationship goes sour.
Change can strain a relationship, because not everyone handles change well. Many people experience their worst heartbreak around this age. As school and work begin to take over a student's life, it leaves less time for a social life and significant others. Another reason relationships don't work is long distance. If partners go to different schools, they lose that immediacy, and trust becomes an issue. Even if you trust your partner, it's a different thing to trust the hundreds of people around them for months at a time. Also, alcohol always lowers inhibitions, and people do things the normally wouldn't (or use alcohol as an excuse to do something they want to do but shouldn't.)
For those who seek alternatives to relationships, those are available, especially in the college atmosphere. "Friends with benefits" is the most popular alternative, but often becomes complicated and messy. Friends with benefits generally consists of all of the physical perks of a relationship, without the emotional attachment. However, it's difficult to keep things strictly physical; eventually time spent together leads to feelings, and complications arise. Some people may want to avoid friends with benefits though, as that can generally lead to a distasteful reputation, epsecially for the female involved.
The college years have the potential to be the best years of your life. Finding (or sustaining) a relationship throughout these years can be a big factor in how well those years go, and if it lasts, how the rest of your life goes. Relationships also have the potential to ruin part of that experience. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to relationships in college, but there are different options, and hopefully most people find something that works for them.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Podcast Critiques
Fantasy Focus Football
My first podcast subscription was to an ESPN podcast dedicated to fantasy football. I listened to their two latest episodes, airing 9/12 and 9/13.
I chose to listen to this podcast because I had heard about it before, and I'm a huge fantasy football nut. I'm in 9 different leagues right now. So any advice anybody has to give, I'm willing to take. I was interested to see what they had to say about players rostered on my teams.
Pros:
- A topic of high interest to me
- Helpful information on Pickskin Pick'em
- Start/sit advice
Cons:
- Took 5 minutes to get to football talk on the 9/13 episode
- Seemed to have a slight New York-biased commentary
- Long podcast, you'll begin to drift off midway through
I will continue listening to this podcast, and have listened to it before when I was looking for fantasy football advice. I typically don't listen all the way through these podcasts, I just listen until I hear what I needed advice about. I don't put them on my iPhone - I just listen to them on my laptop Sunday mornings.
ESPN: Olbermann
The second podcast I chose was by Keith Olbermann. Keith Olbermann is a former ESPN employee, who left in 1997 to work with MSNBC. Olbermann returned to ESPN in July, and has his own one hour show on ESPN, along with his own podcast.
I chose this podcast because we have discussed Keith Olbermann in another class of mine, and I heard he was very controversial, to the point, and doesn't particularly hold much back.
Pros:
- Happened to be talking about my favorite sports team in the first episode I listened to
- Humorous, in an unintentional way
- Guest speakers
- Integrates his political knowledge into his show
Cons:
- Sometimes gets carried away with his political side
- very set in his ways
I don't listen to podcasts often, so I probably won't stay subscribed to this podcast for long, but it was entertaining enough that I think I will check it out again, and watch his show... if we ever get cable at my house!
My first podcast subscription was to an ESPN podcast dedicated to fantasy football. I listened to their two latest episodes, airing 9/12 and 9/13.
I chose to listen to this podcast because I had heard about it before, and I'm a huge fantasy football nut. I'm in 9 different leagues right now. So any advice anybody has to give, I'm willing to take. I was interested to see what they had to say about players rostered on my teams.
Pros:
- A topic of high interest to me
- Helpful information on Pickskin Pick'em
- Start/sit advice
Cons:
- Took 5 minutes to get to football talk on the 9/13 episode
- Seemed to have a slight New York-biased commentary
- Long podcast, you'll begin to drift off midway through
I will continue listening to this podcast, and have listened to it before when I was looking for fantasy football advice. I typically don't listen all the way through these podcasts, I just listen until I hear what I needed advice about. I don't put them on my iPhone - I just listen to them on my laptop Sunday mornings.
ESPN: Olbermann
The second podcast I chose was by Keith Olbermann. Keith Olbermann is a former ESPN employee, who left in 1997 to work with MSNBC. Olbermann returned to ESPN in July, and has his own one hour show on ESPN, along with his own podcast.
I chose this podcast because we have discussed Keith Olbermann in another class of mine, and I heard he was very controversial, to the point, and doesn't particularly hold much back.
Pros:
- Happened to be talking about my favorite sports team in the first episode I listened to
- Humorous, in an unintentional way
- Guest speakers
- Integrates his political knowledge into his show
Cons:
- Sometimes gets carried away with his political side
- very set in his ways
I don't listen to podcasts often, so I probably won't stay subscribed to this podcast for long, but it was entertaining enough that I think I will check it out again, and watch his show... if we ever get cable at my house!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
WOOD TV8 Critique
WOOD TV8 Critique
Pros:
- I have always been a fan of tabs across the top of a page, as well as a home button. It keeps the site organized, and easy to operate.
- A mini weather update in the top right hand corner.
- The headlines jump out at you, with a picture for the apparent headline, and video for the other top-3 stories.
- I like how the rest of the news is organized. There is a bar to scroll through the latest videos, a photo gallery, a long list of recent headlines, and even a women's news section.
- Available on Facebook and Twitter.
- I don't know much about weather but it seemed decent enough.
Cons:
- Tabs are cool. No sports tab is not cool.
- The website could be more aesthetically pleasing. It's pretty boring as far as design, color & font.
- Advertisements are annoying, but I guess you'll have that anywere.
Pros:
- I have always been a fan of tabs across the top of a page, as well as a home button. It keeps the site organized, and easy to operate.
- A mini weather update in the top right hand corner.
- The headlines jump out at you, with a picture for the apparent headline, and video for the other top-3 stories.
- I like how the rest of the news is organized. There is a bar to scroll through the latest videos, a photo gallery, a long list of recent headlines, and even a women's news section.
- Available on Facebook and Twitter.
- I don't know much about weather but it seemed decent enough.
Cons:
- Tabs are cool. No sports tab is not cool.
- The website could be more aesthetically pleasing. It's pretty boring as far as design, color & font.
- Advertisements are annoying, but I guess you'll have that anywere.
Writing For The Web 2
After a Year of Inactivity, The Roaring Creek Bridge is Back
A devastating flood last year washed away the old Roaring Creek Bridge, which had stood for 75 years.
Last year, the 75 year old bridge over Roaring Creek was washed out during a flood. Since then, the County has been working hard to the bridge fixed.
The bridge cost $700,000 to replace, but thanks to some state and federal funds, the repair went much quicker. The U.S. Department of Transportation donated $400,000, while the state paid for $200,000, and the County paid for the remaining $100,000.
$700,000 in repairs
The repair has been a great relief to Oak Grove residents, many of which work in Midville. The Roaring Creek bridge provided a shortcut to Midville, but without it residents had to drive an extra nine miles. "Traveling all that way has made it very inconvenient for a lot of people. We've had to use a lot of time and gasoline just to make what otherwise would be very short trips. Having this bridge erected quickly is a blessing," said Oak Grove resident Josh Spiva.
The bridge has been open for a few weeks, but the official opening ceremonies are at 11 this morning. Midville Mayor Seth Montana, U.S. Congressman Nancy Draughorn, and U.S. Senator Warren Johns will all be in attendance.
A devastating flood last year washed away the old Roaring Creek Bridge, which had stood for 75 years.
Last year, the 75 year old bridge over Roaring Creek was washed out during a flood. Since then, the County has been working hard to the bridge fixed.
The bridge cost $700,000 to replace, but thanks to some state and federal funds, the repair went much quicker. The U.S. Department of Transportation donated $400,000, while the state paid for $200,000, and the County paid for the remaining $100,000.
$700,000 in repairs
The repair has been a great relief to Oak Grove residents, many of which work in Midville. The Roaring Creek bridge provided a shortcut to Midville, but without it residents had to drive an extra nine miles. "Traveling all that way has made it very inconvenient for a lot of people. We've had to use a lot of time and gasoline just to make what otherwise would be very short trips. Having this bridge erected quickly is a blessing," said Oak Grove resident Josh Spiva.
The bridge has been open for a few weeks, but the official opening ceremonies are at 11 this morning. Midville Mayor Seth Montana, U.S. Congressman Nancy Draughorn, and U.S. Senator Warren Johns will all be in attendance.
Writing For The Web 1
Man Dies of Heart Attack in Attempted Rescue
A Vermont man dies suddenly after a car crashes into the restaurant he was dining at.
Concord resident John Barker, 59, died today after a car crashed into Central Restaurant on Depot Street in Lyndonville.
Barker's death was not caused by the crash, however, as he only received minor cuts from the incident. Barker began complaining of chest pains, before collapsing due to a heart attack.
Brakes Fail
Barker was attempting to rescue Annie Coulter, 82, of Barton, Vt. Coulter was the operator of the vehicle that crashed into Central Restaurant.
Coulter reports that the accident occurred after she swerved to avoid a pedestrian, but her brakes failed, sending her into the restaurant. Coulter suffered only minor injuries from the incident.
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