Word #4

Revile: verb [ trans. ] criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner: The students reviled the board of trustees for raising tuition.

Sentence: Most are led by monks who are fiercely loyal to Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled the Himalayan region in 1959 amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and is reviled by Beijing.

By: Alexa Oleson

Word Count 60

Word #3

Ilk: noun [in sing. ] a type of people or things similar to those already referred to: Republican Presidential Candidate, like other of his ilk, is skilled in public speaking.

Sentence:  Like other programs of its ilk, "4th and Long" had a tenuous connection with reality.

By Chris Chase

Word Count 38

What Makes it News?

President Obama is proposing a $1.5 trillion increase in new tax revenue in an effort to reduce long-term deficits. This Associated Press article explains that the $1.5 trillion would come from repealing the Bush-era tax rates for couples making over $250,000, as well as ending certain corporate loopholes and subsidies. The proposal would also cut $580 billion in benefit programs such as Medicare. The article is newsworthy because it portrays the conflict between Democrats and Republicans. The article is also newsworthy because it is about a prominent figure and the proposal impacts millions of Americans.

            The news story could be localized by explaining how the increase in taxes affect the local community. A lot of big corporations such as Google, Yahoo, and Hewlett-Packard Co., are headquartered in the Silicon Valley. A reporter could localize the story by mentioning these corporations and explaining how these corporations would be affected, as well as listing statistics for the number of couples earning over $250 in the Silicon Valley. The reporter could also mention the amount of Medicare recipients residing in the Silicon Valley. 

By Jim Kuhnhenn - Associated Press

Word Count 185

Word #2

Irk - verb [ trans. ]irritate; annoy: I was irked by the comments from the reporter who obviosuly had no idea what he was talking about. 

Sentence: Their bad blood apparently dates back to the 2008 campaign, when Huckabee was publicly irked that Perry endorsed Giuliani and then John McCain in the GOP primary. (By Holly Bailey)


Word Count 53

A Fly on the Wall

Downtown 

As I walked down the street I spotted an empty wooden bench. The sun was nearly setting and the sunlight glared directly on the bench in between two high rise buildings. I took a seat and immediately noticed the pleasant smell of coming from the Chinese restaurant behind me. The increasingly overwhelming aroma of freshly cooked meats and spices began to make me hungry. In an attempt to ignore my growling stomach, I took out my blue notebook and began to record the details of my surroundings.

            There was a lot to see downtown. It was interesting to see the stark contrast between the various individuals walking by. It was easy to differentiate between those that obviously had somewhere to be, and those that were simply enjoying their stroll through the city.

            I tried to single out the individual noises but found it difficult at first. The constant sounds of honking horns, speeding cars, and people talking, all mixed together in one big tumult. After a few minutes of listening intently, the sounds began to become more distinct. I began to hear the chirping of birds in the trees that line the sidewalks. I could hear the leaves rustling on the ground as the wind began to pick up.

            I overheard a peculiar conversation between two young women standing nearby. “You’re crazy,Yogurtland is way better than Pinkberry,” the first woman said. “What, I wouldn’t eat there if it was free,” said the second woman. “You would have to pay me,” she replied. It was really funny how surprisingly long this debate went on. I walked home and called it a day.

            Most people don’t stop to notice their surroundings, but if you sit down and take a look around you find that it’s actually pretty entertaining.

Word Count 296