When we first started my Comm 160 class we were taught the differences between words that sound and look the same. For example, its and it's, effect and affect and two, to, and too. For this post i am going to write about the differences we learned between these types of words.

First we will talk about its and it's. It's is of course a contraction of it is, for example, it's time to go. Its is the possessive form of it, for example, the cat lost some of its fur. Next is your and you're. Your is the second person progressive adjective and it is always followed by a noun or gerund. For example, is this your pen? You're is the contraction of you are. For example, you're going to be early. Next is their, there and they're. There is a noun that names a place, and adjective that empathizes which person and a pronoun that introduces a noun or a clause. Their is the third person plural possessive adjective. They're is the contraction of they are. Then we have affect and effect. Affect has several different meanings, such as, to have an influence on, to touch or move or to simulate. Effect is mostly used as a noun and it is something brought about by someone or something or something that gives the impression of someone or something else. Next is lose and loose. Loose is and adjective and it means the opposite of tight or contained. Lose is a verb and means to suffer the loss of something. Next is lie and lay. The difference between lie and lay is that lay requires a direct object and lie does not. Next is two, to and too. To has two functions, it is a preposition and indicates an infinitive when it precedes a verb. Too also has two meanings and they are, to mean also, or to have a excess of something. Lastly, two is a number. Finally we have then versus than. Than is a conjunction used in comparisons. Then can mean at that point at time, next or afterward and in addition or also.

Hopefully this helps many people out when they are trying to distinguish between the different meanings of these words.

Writng a News Story

Throughout my Comm 160 class we were taught how to write a news story. Here is the final draft of the last news story we had to write. It is a story about the rapper Big Sean coming to Penn State Behrend.

Big Sean at Penn State Behrend

Hip hop artist Big Sean is coming to Penn State Behrend on Thursday, May 1. The Grammy nominated hip-hop recording artist will headline the concert with Taylor Gang’s recording artist Chevy Woods as the opener.  Behrend student Monica Krusewicz plans to go to the concert. She has been a fan of Taylor Gang and Big Sean for quite a few years.

“My high school years were all about Big Sean’s music, but almost more exciting for me is seeing Chevy Woods perform. I’m obsessed with Wiz Khalifa and they’re in Taylor Gang together , so to see Chevy Woods is one step closer to seeing Wiz Khalifa one day. Also the atmosphere of the concert will be amazing!” said Krusewicz.

Indiana University student Brandi King, says she wishes she could attend the Big Sean concert. “I can’t get a ride back to Erie for that weekend, so I’m crushed that I am missing such a great concert. Big Sean is my favorite rapper and it would have been an amazing experience to see him live,” said King.

Sean Michael Leonard Anderson is from Detroit and was first signed by Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. music recording label in 2007 and then in 2008 he signed with Def Jam Recordings. In 2011, Big Sean released his debut album Finally Famous which featured musicians like Kanye West, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj. His second album Hall Of Fame was released in 2013. Big Sean and Kanye West were nominated twice for a Grammy for West’s song “Mercy”, which featured Big Sean, in 2013, and has won multiple other awards such as Billboard Music Awards Top Rap Song and BET Awards Best New Artist.

Tickets for the concert are still available and are being sold at Behrend’s RUB desk in the Reed Union building, online at estore.psu.edu, or by phone at 898-6171.  Tickets are $20 for Penn State students and $30 for the public. The concert will be held in Behrend’s Junker Center at 7 p.m.

Cinderella

Last week in my Comm 160 class we had to write a fairy tale in news story format. Here is  my news story version of Cinderella.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

A young slave girl became a princess after marrying the prince of the Enchanted Forest last Monday. A girl known as Cinderella was swept off her feet when the prince asked her to marry him. Cinderella lived with her step-mother, and two step-sisters after her father died. Her step-mother quickly put her to work after her father died believing she wasn’t useful for anything else.

The prince of the Enchanted Forest hosted a ball in order to find a wife. All people of the Forest were to be invited, but Cinderella’s step-mother believed Cinderella did not belong at this ball. Her step-mother ordered her to stay home and clean the house from top to bottom.

After the rest of the family left, Cinderella noticed something happening outside. As she went to she what it was a women appeared. Her fairy-godmother had come to make her dreams come true. With a wave of her magic wand the fairy-godmother said “Bibbity bobbity boo”. Cinderella clothes transformed into beautiful gown, and a pumpkin transformed into a carriage to take her to the ball. The fairy god-mother then said “Be careful, all magic comes with a price. Make sure you are back before midnight because all this will be back to normal.”

Once Cinderella got to the ball she danced with the prince, who fell in love with her at first sight. Before he could ask for her name Cinderella had to run off because it was almost midnight. She ran so fast she left her glass slipper behind, and it was the only thing the prince had to remember her by.

The next day the prince sent out every man in the castle to scour the land to find the girl that fit the glass slipper. Finally, Cinderella was found and she married the prince.

Sights and Sounds of Spring

The sun shine warms my skin through my sweat shirt.  

The mud squishes into my socks, turning them brown, as walk through the grass.

The Killdeer annoyingly squawks as my dog tries to chase it.

Wind tangles my hair all around my face.

I smell the yellow-green grass trying to regrow.

My dog races me to get to the Frisbee first.

The Robins peck the ground in search for a worm.

Mud becomes caked on the bottom of my pant leg.

The grass looks disgusting from being covered by the snow for so long.

A gush of wind whips the Frisbee sideways.

Sexual Language

After reading Sherryl Kleinman’s article for my Comm 160 class, I understand now why language is a big deal. People should realize it is one step in making women and men equalities. We should not expect everyone should just jump into the issue of men and women getting equal wages. Language is a great place to start because it’s something that we use every day. I never realized saying simple things such as “chairman”, “mankind” and “fireman” could be so hurtful to women. Until Kleinman pointed out that switching the gender part of the word for a racial one changes the meaning completely, I didn't agree with her. I believed that saying those sexual words was just a habit of people; we have been doing for so long so why change it now? However, after substituting the words for “chairwhite”, “whitekind” and “you whiteys” I see how much of a difference there is. Colored people would be expected to be included in those terms, and I don’t see how they could be anymore hurtful. Therefore, now I understand where Kleinman is coming from when she says we must start using nonsexual language if we ever want to get over any other barrier of men and women inequalities. Women should no longer be expected to be included in these terms, and men should not be offended when women want to use a more equal term such as “chairperson”.

Making Leads

    How to make information into a lead.

   Homicide. Husband shot four times in apartment. Yesterday. Suspect said she was driven to the brink of insanity by his constant beatings. She had asked neighbors for help earlier in the day. Reported to police she was afraid of him. Erie Police Department provided information. She showed visible signs of a beating: swollen jaw and black eye. Victim's name is Harold Ray Erman. "He beat me near to death last night, and I just couldn't let him have at me again," quote from wife. Address of apartment is 4747 Pine Ave. Police took 25-cal., Ivers & Johnson, semi-automatic pistol out of her hand when they arrested her. She calls police. Her name is Josephine Erman, 38. Harold died about 6:15 p.m. at UPMC Hamot Medical Center. Victim suffered wounds to throat, trunk, neck and abdomen. Shot at close range as he slept. He was 47. Had been arrested on complaints of assault three times previous.

   On Sunday evening on Pine Ave. a woman shot her husband repeatedly while he slept, claiming she was driven to insanity by his beatings.

   Robbery. McDonald’s. Got away with about $75. Witnesses heard four shots fired. On upper Peach Street in the Summit Towne Plaza. Robber crawled through drive-through window and forced lone attendant to open cash register. Information comes from Millcreek Police Sgt. Caleb Winthrow. One death. Shot twice. Victim's name is Hashim M. Hashim. Pronounced dead at the scene. Happened about 10 p.m. No arrests have been made. One witness at scene. Happened Monday. Victim's address is 32 Crest Road in Erie.

   A McDonald’s attendant was killed during a robbery late Monday night on upper Peach Street in the Summit Towne Plaza, attributed a Millcreek Police Sgt.

      Speech reaction. Penn State Behrend Chancellor Don Birx speaks to Erie Rotary Club. Says future of area colleges depends on increased support from the business community. "You must be willing to invest in the education of America now, or you will pay dearly later," Birx said. Audience of about 125. Audience did not like what he was saying. Asked very tough questions after the talk and did not applaud during the speech. Gave speech at noon on Monday. Some in audience were clearly angry. One man walked out. "I pay my employees good, fair wages. Why should I begin paying someone who won't even work for me when they're 18," said John Hibberben, owner of S&W Food Wholesalers.

 A speech given by Penn State Behrend Chancellor Don Birx turned sour Monday when the audience of the Erie Rotary Club reacted badly to what Birx had to say.

Writing Leads

Recently in my Basic News Writing Skills class we learned how to write a summary news lead. Every story needs a good lead to get readers excited about reading the story. Without a good lead they are just going to go to the next story. There are six rules for writing a straight news lead. Rule one is that a straight news lead should be about 25 to 30 words long, and it should summarize the "what", "where" and "when" of the story. Rule two is the first verb should express the main "what" of the story and should be in the first seven words of the sentence. Rule three is that the first verb should also be in active voice, not passive. Rule four is if there is a "who" involved in the story, the lead should give some idea of who the "who" is. Rule five is the lead should summarize the "why" and "how" of the story, but only if it's possible. Also do not try to squeeze the "why" and "how" in the lead if it doesn't fit. Finally, rule six is if what's in the lead needs to be attributed, make sure to add the attribution at the end of the lead.