Blog #3

Favorite Online Newspaper
1. Shakerite (Shaker Heights HS)
The first thing that I notice when I enter the site is the title of the online newspaper. The title is bold and prominent that it catches the reader's attention. Therefore, it attracts the reader to continue reading the site to see what else there is to offer. Right under the eye catching title, there is another eye catching element. It is a slideshow of photos that spans the entire width of the website. This also entices the reader to explore the photos in the slideshow.  
2. Charger Online (Bullard HS)
The element that attracted me to this site is this huge section on the top of the site that is a collage of photos. When you slide your cursor over a photo, the title of the story pops up which is very unique. It allows the reader to gain more understanding what the photo is portraying. 
3. The Titan Chronicle (Newtown HS)
The element that I liked about this online newspaper is that it contained a lot of videos. With our generation, videos are becoming more popular each day. They provide something words can't. It allows the reader to visualize the experience and feel the emotions portrayed in the video. 

Best Photographs
1. This photo is used in the story, "Tanning beds banned for teenagers under 18 in Illinois." I found this photo very interesting because it is taken at a unique angle. Instead of taking just the outside of the tanning machine, it was taken from the inside. Also, the blue color tones also help portray the mood of the story: sad. 
 

2. This photo is used in the section "Under the Knife." Even though this is a very disturbing, it is a great photo. It gives the reader a very concise and detailed image of the operation with the medical instruments and doctor pictured in the photo.
 
- Anna Ngo

Blog #2

Danielle Bernstein is an acclaimed fashion blogger who has been featured in many prestigious magazines such as Teen Vogue, Vogue, and Elle. Also, she has been featured in many designer videos such as Steve Madden, Cole Haan, and other New York Fashion Week videos. Though her posts are dominated by posts of her "ootds" she always posts a snip it of where she bought what she was wearing and why that particular piece of clothing stood out to her. Not only is her fashion sense impeccable, Bernstein also writes with a witty tang making her blog postings interesting as well as informative about the latest trends.

Blog 2

New Orleans. The Big Easy. Prepare for a weekend of sloppy defense and enough showboating to make Gregg Popovich tear his hair out after giving a terse 2-word interview. Yes sir, you've guessed it: it's All-Star Weekend.

A lot of displeasure was voiced this year with the selection of the teams. And that's just too bad. Cause the NBA is really saddened by their fans showing discontent. Yes, I'm sure that they are wiping away their tears with the bands of dollar bills they keep lying around their house. Newsflash: they really don't care. The money that they make has really made these owners and managers cynics. The coaches who choose the team also take the fans' pleas with a grain of salt.

The NBA All-Star game should be a treat for the fans, and should give the fans what they want. That's what it's all about, right? The Dunk Contest should be packed with stars, the 3-Point Contest also with a star-studded lineup of the best-shooters, and then a game with the most deserving players.

But let's face it: this does not happen. The All-Star game has been made a mockery in recent years, devoid of excitement and lacking the right players. The snubs who get left out of the teams are robbed of what they have worked for, and the fans are robbed when stars refuse to compete in the events that they were built for. (*cough cough COUGH* Lebron Dunk Contest) It's a crime all around.

Yet, even so, that fans cannot turn away. All-Star Weekend is the one weekend where diehard fans can drop their rivalries in order to just enjoy the game. The fans get to see how human the world's best players are, and that's a pretty sight to see. No matter how corrupted the event becomes, the NBA still gets it. The fans want to see the best players in one game, and a fun game too. The technicalities may cause fans to want to drive off a bridge, but the final product is enough to keep these fans safe.

Zean Liao
Sports Editor

Blog 2

I love New York.

I recently discovered an interactive play experience, Sleep No More NYC, that encompasses the ubiquitous feeling of  freedom and exploration in New York. Unique from the usual play setting of the audience watching the actors, Sleep No More offers a changing form of immersive theater where the audience is able to embark on its own journey and remain inside the play for however long it may wish; this new style embraces the senses of the audience where people can choose to be pulled inside each scene, live within the set, and interact in solo scenes with the actors.

In addition to the exciting experiences that New York offers, it is also a platform for any artistic endeavors. Brandon, the creator of Humans of New York, uses this global city as an ideal venue to spotlight the eccentric people -- essential to the success of his blog.

New York offers worldly experiences and is home to some of the most successful and quirky people in the nation. Shopping malls tower above the buzzing cafes. People walk faster here than in Texas to keep pace with the rush of New York life. Above all, you never get bored of the city that never seems to stop. Let the adventures begin.