Visual Journalism Final

Aaron Rodgers: A Statistical Analysis

Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. He has all of the accolades that cement him as a first ballot Hall of Famer and possibly, the Greatest of All Time. However, there is one stat holding him back: his single Super Bowl victory. In his defense, Aaron hasn't had a top ten defense since the 2010 Super Bowl run.

Despite the lack of playoff success, Aaron carries the Packers each season. Every year, analysts predict massive success behind Aaron's arm, but the success never comes to fruition until the midpoint of the season when the Packer's are undoubtedly at risk of missing the playoffs.

I took a look at Aaron's stats from the past five seasons and compiled them into a spreadsheet to analyze if exactly he does perform better in the second half of the season.

After compiling his season stats, I found the box score for each game over the past five seasons and divided his season performance into two halves, eight games each (except in 2017, due to injury, and 2018, as the season is still in progress).

With all of the stats compiled, I made a mock-up info-graphic, specifically of Aaron's 2016 campaign.

Upon examination, it would appear the Rodgers does perform better in the second half of the season, if that season occurs in an even year. In 2014 and 2016, Aaron shifted his performance in the second half and produced elite stats. In 2015 and 2017, Aaron actually performed worse in the second half of the season, and things aren't looking up for 2018.

Sources:
http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/8439
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/

Assignment 20: Wild Card

(Opinion) Why Mike McCarthy will be fired by the end of 2018 NFL season.

Image via USA Today

I've been a dedicated Green Bay Packers fan since 2009 when I watched my first NFL game on TV. It was storming and the power was out at my house. My mom called her business downtown and the answering machine answered, meaning there was still power at that part of town. We loaded up some snacks and made our way to her store.

There wasn't very much more to do at the store than there was at home, but there was a TV with cable. The sad news was that there were only four channels. Of course, nothing was on on a Monday night that I was interested in, except a football game. I wasn't the biggest football fan but I knew some things about it, mostly from watching the Razorbacks play on Saturdays.

The game was between the Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay Packers and the Brett Favre led Minnesota Vikings. It was time to pick someone to root for, and I chose the green and gold. 

Mike McCarthy was a premier playcaller in the NFL for numerous years. I'll never forget the 2010 Super Bowl run where the six-seed Packers ran the gauntlet to win it all. McCarthy established himself as a brilliant offensive mind, leading the Packers to multiple deep-playoff runs behind the arm of Aaron Rodgers and an unstoppable offense. Things began to change in 2015.

Teams around the league soon learned how to beat McCarthy; stop Aaron Rodgers. McCarthy did what any smart coach would do and that's to use your best player to your advantage. However, one player can only get you so far. Playcalling becomes essential when your opponent knows what you're going to do, but it's like McCarthy doesn't realize that.

It's been a steady decline for the Packers. Every year, the offense seems to perform subpar until about midway through the season, at which point Aaron Rodgers takes over the second half of the season to make a playoff push. The defense is always underwhelming and can't hold up their end of the game. The one consistent is Mike McCarthy and his predictable, non-risky playcalling.

The Packers need change. McCarthy's era will forever be remembered, but if the Packers want to win before Aaron Rodger's retirement, they need someone new.

Assignment 19: Classmate Blog Critique

Blog Critique: Rhett Gentry

For the classmate blog critique, I decided to examine Rhett's blog.

At a quick glance, Rhett's blog may come off as a bit unorganized and un-pretty, but taking a dive into the content reveals otherwise. The stories on the blog are ordered vertically in an isometric fashion as small rectangles across the screen. These stacked rectangles create a very pleasing effect of seemingly offering a broad selection of content in just a few short posts.

Rhett has a very clean, journalistic writing style. Every post is easy to read and flows very well, like a conversation. My main complaint with the writing isn't really a complaint, I simply would like to see less first-person writing and more third-person writing from him.

Of course, the first-person writing does create a sense of interaction with Rhett when reading his stories. After a few posts, you begin to have an understanding of who Rhett is.

The color template of the blog is very nice. I appreciate the complementary dark colors of beige, brown, and black all flowing as you move down the page. I would maybe add some more color on the sidebar as it's very empty after moving past the profile information.

Overall, Rhett's blog is very nice to read and joyful to look at.

Rhett's blog can be viewed here.

Assignment 18: News App Critique

ESPN App critique.

I'm a very dedicated sports fan. Not only am I dedicated to the teams I root for, I'm dedicated to the sport. Because of this, I have multiple apps on my phone that allow me to keep up with all of the major sports organizations including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.

The apps I use are ESPN, Bleacher Report, and CBS Sports. Each of these apps have a different style of reporting that appeal to me. ESPN is a great app as a feed of scores and games going on right now. I get a notification every time one of my favorite teams begins and ends play, along with the final score. Bleacher Report has very in-depth articles and analysis of news from around the various leagues. CBS Sports is a solid mixture of ESPN and Bleacher Report, but I mainly use it for video highlights and postgame interviews.

I decided to review the ESPN app, simply because it's the app I'm most familiar with.

The app is very interactive. The first time you open the app, it asks you what your favorite teams and leagues are so that it can feed relevant information to you. I get a notification every time the Packers (NFL), Spurs (NBA), Braves (MLB), Penguins (NHL), Razorbacks (NCAA), and Chelsea FC (PL) begin play. I am also notified of the final score of every game.

The app also pushes notifications of major sports news to you. For example, I don't follow boxing very closely, but I receive notifications about 'big-name' matches that are being set or occurring. This goes for most sports I don't follow very closely.

You can also get a free ten minute live viewing of any sporting event listed on the app. I recommend waiting until the game is close to being over and catching the final minutes on the app if the game is not shown on your TV.

My main complaint with the app is that sometimes it does not load correctly or has inaccurate scores, but it's impossible for the app to update immediately after a score in any sport.

I enjoy the ESPN app very much and highly recommend it to any sports fan.

Assignment 17: Opinion (State, National, International)

(Opinion) Teenager's underwear used in rape trial causes Irish outcry, protests.

A series of protests have been taking place in Ireland following the acquittal of a man in a rape case involving a 17 year old girl. During the trial, the defense lawyer stated, "You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front." After the man was acquitted, Ruth Coppinger, an Irish MP, produced the blue lacy underwear worn by the victim. "It might seem embarrassing to show a pair of thongs here... how do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in a court," Coppinger said.

The accused maintained that the sexual contact between him and the girl, which took place in a laneway in Cork, had been consensual. Details of the closing argument presented by his senior counsel Elizabeth O'Connell, however, attracted widespread attention and prompted a series of online protest movements.

The day after publication of that court report, the head of Dublin's Rape Crisis Centre criticized the barrister's remarks. Although she did not question the verdict, she called for reform of a legal system in which she said such suggestions were frequently made. Amid increasing media attention, Irish social media users expressed outrage at the remarks in court.

Counsel for man acquitted of rape suggested jurors should reflect on underwear worn by the 17yo complainant. Following this wholly unacceptable comment, we are calling on our followers to post a picture of their thongs/knickers to support her with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/ZkVU0GVAIN

— I Believe Her - Ireland (@ibelieveher_ire) November 10, 2018

I hear cameras cut away from me when I displayed this underwear in #Dáil. In courts victims can have their underwear passed around as evidence and it's within the rules, hence need to display in Dáil. Join protests tomorrow. In Dublin it's at Spire, 1pm.#dubw #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/DvtaJL61qR

— Ruth Coppinger TD (@RuthCoppingerTD) November 13, 2018

In my opinion, this type of counter argument reflects that the defense believed the victim was "asking for it." This statement has been used for years, claiming that the way that women dressed persisted that they were consenting. Obviously, this is far from the truth.

The judicial system, as a broad spectrum around the world, defines the laws. Laws cannot define intent. Intent is somewhat defined, mainly relating to illegal possessions such as a deadly weapon or drugs wherein an 'intent to harm' or 'intent to distribute' may be appended to the original charge.

Though consent was claimed, the prosecution obviously felt other that it was not. So can one say that since the girl was wearing lacy underwear, she intended on having sex? By wearing pajama pants, am I intending to go to sleep, or can I not simply be comfortable while I work? It's not evidence of anything other than a girl wearing undergarments.

I suppose by wearing a jacket, I consent to being cold in the winter. That's not how it works.

Thongs are being hung up outside the Spire in Dublin as part of the protest calling for an overhaul in the way rape trials are conducted #rape #consent #rosa pic.twitter.com/zGfl7HFNrW

— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) November 14, 2018

Original story via  BBC News

Assignment 16: Opinion (Local Issue)

Opinion: City of Conway discusses funding of second splash pad.

Image via City of Conway

The Conway City Council will discuss funding for a second splash pad during its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Judge “Jack” Roberts District Court Building.

Aldermen will consider RJR Enterprises’ bid of $365,000 for construction of a splash pad at Fifth Avenue Park.

The lion’s share of the project, $292,000, will be funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

″The Conway Parks and Recreation will fund the remaining portion of the splash pad construction and will also provide additional parking lot improvements for 5th Avenue Park,” the proposed ordinance says.

As a member of the City of Conway and Faulkner County community for nearly ten years, I have multiple issues with this proposal.

Firstly, Conway, especially in the downtown district, is not complete in the slightest. Besides from the central quarter of the downtown square, the city is inhabited by dozens of empty shops and warehouses that are not safe. A quick walk in any direction from the central park in downtown will guide you to an outer district of empty-shelled buildings. Why should we be building a second splash pad in the park when our city isn't complete itself?

Second, the parks in Conway aren't very popular. Conway has become a hub of business and education, touting multiple colleges and taking the title of 'the city of colleges'. Most residents of Conway live in the outer suburbs of the city, closer to Greenbrier or Mayflower. A park is a family oriented location, but families don't spend very much time in Conway unless it's for dinner or shopping. A second splash pad won't be a new attraction, rather a waste of funds.

Finally, Christmas is coming soon. It's winter now. Why should a splash pad be considered now, of all times? What is the traffic level at the first splash pad? Is it so popular that a second one is required to fulfill the desires of all the children in the area? There are too many questions left unanswered for this to be a high priority topic!

Scratch the splash pad. Instead, let's fix our city first before we try to improve it.

Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat

Assignment 15: Entertainment or Popular Culture

'Shrek' returning to the big screen in Illumination Entertainment reboot.

Image via io9

Everyone's favorite green ogre will be returning to theaters soon. 'Shrek', along with 'Puss in Boots' are both being rebooted by Illumination Entertainment, the film studio behind 'Despicable Me', 'The Secret Life of Pets', and most recently 'The Grinch'.

Chris Meledandri, the founder and studio head of Illumination is taking on the new projects following Comcast's purchase of DreamWorks in 2016. Meledandri plans on reuniting the original voice cast of 'Shrek' to help maintain the popularity of the original films. “When you look back on those vocal performances they’re awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations,” explains Meledandri.

Meledandri is trying to be careful with the reboot of the beloved ogre as it's very important to reach the high bar set by the original movies. “There’s a tremendous amount of fun to be had in that world, but it’s a high bar to find a story that’s truly world,” said Meledandri. “You want to find something in the narrative that really feels like a departure.”

Original story via Variety

Assignment 14: #Trending on Social Media

Trending on social media, November 5, 2018.

Following a Sunday of NFL games that often dominate the trending area of social media, including the second meeting of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady on Sunday Night Football, Monday held a much different portfolio of #Trends.

I checked the Twitter trending section at 2:00pm on Monday, November 5. Here's an image of the trending section.

Twitter tailors the trending section based on your interests and who you follow. You may notice that some personalities that I follow were tweeting about certain trends, in which Twitter will assume that that is a trend I will be interested in.

The top three trends were about Tuesday, November 6, or Election Day. Following the trends about Election day are the standard everyday trends, such as #MondayMotivation and common online 'games', such as #My4WordHeadache. These 'games' are simply a way to get conversations going online or for telling jokes about the current standing of one's country or world.

November 5th is also National Doughnut Day, which was also trending. The biggest surprise in the trending section was #MTGUMA, which is referring to the announcement of a new card box for Magic: The Gathering, a popular card game.

On this morning's Weekly MTG stream, we unveiled Ultimate Masters! Learn all about the set and the Ultimate Box Toppers contained in each sealed booster box.

Oh, and it's coming December 7. Get ready! #MTGUMAhttps://t.co/iUPj3s2fIi

— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) November 5, 2018

The announcement didn't come without scrutiny as many fans of the beloved card game noted the hefty price tag.

$335 a box? Yeah I’m gonna sit this one out #MTGUMA

— Emily, Big Tron Energy™️ (@veesa_mtg) November 5, 2018

Making a video about Ultimate Masters, but wow, $340 for a box is...OOF.#MTGUMA

— Wedge (@TheManaSource) November 5, 2018

The last trend to take note of is #HelwaniShow, which is a Twitter Sports show about MMA. The show is sponsored by Twitter, so it's no surprise it made it into the trending section.

Assignment 13: International Hard or Feature News

Ex-Juventus footballer jailed in mafia trial.

Vincenzo Iaquinta
via BBC

Vincenzo Iaquinta, 38, a former Juventus F.C. footballer has been sentenced to two years for firearms offenses as a part of a large mafia trial. The 38-year-old, who was part of Italy's winning World Cup team in 2006, was one of 148 people standing trial for alleged links to the 'Ndrangheta, a major organization linked to the Italian mafia.

The judge dismissed those charges against him, but Iaquinta's father was found guilty and jailed for 19 years. More than 120 others were found guilty also. The court ruled that Iaquinta illegally passed two guns to his father, whom at the time was under a court order banning him from keeping firearms.

Under Italian law, defendants are allowed to appeal twice before a sentence is confirmed, though it is unlikely Iaquinta would have to serve any jail time.

Original story via BBC

Assignment 12: Numeracy

'Halloween' holds top spot for second straight week, 'Mid90s' jumps up ten places. Weekend box office for Oct. 26-28, 2018.

This weekend didn't see many changes in the top five at the box office as 'Halloween (2018)' maintained it's top spot for the second straight week. 'A Star is Born', 'Venom', and 'Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween' also staved off 'Hunter Killer' on it's premiere weekend to hold on to the number two, three, and four spots respectively.

The biggest changes in the top ten saw 'First Man' drop from number five to number seven while Jonah Hill's directorial debut 'Mid90s' jumped from 20th to 10th place.

Oct. 26-28, 2018 Box Office Top 10
via BoxOfficeMojo

Notable weekend debuts include 'Hunter Killer', 'Johnny English Strikes Again', and 'Indivisible'. 'Hunter Killer' debuted at the number five position while 'Johnny English Strikes Again' and 'Indivisible' debuted at number 12 and 13 respectively.

Notable weekend debuts for November 2-4, 2018 include 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms', and 'Bodied'.

Assignment 11: Civics

Kentucky requires all high school students to pass a U.S. citizenship test to graduate.

Kentucky recently became the ninth state in the United States to require high school students to pass a U.S. citizenship test in order to graduate. This comes after a study from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation revealed that students and young adults aren't as familiar with the United States government as they should be.

Photo via The Lexington Herald-Leader

The study showed that from a sample of 1,000 American adults, only about 36 percent would pass a U.S. citizenship test. Adults 65 and older performed the best on the mock test while only 19 percent of participants 45 and younger passed the test. Also, 60 percent of participants were unaware of the countries the United States fought against in World War II.

Kentucky now requires high school students to get a 60 out of 100 on a civics test before being allowed to graduate. This new protocol doesn't come without opposition as the National Council for the Social Studies is against the test.

"While the Naturalization Test as presently constructed does assess a surface level of civic knowledge that may be quickly forgotten, it ignores the skills and dispositions component so necessary for true civic literacy and learning,” according to an NCSS position statement posted in March, 2018. “Indeed, rote knowledge of civics content does not equal understanding of what it means to be a citizen."

Original story via The Great Bend Tribune
More information on the test can be found here.

Assignment 10: Listening Posts

News can get around fast.

On a smaller campus like SAU, news can get around quicker than just any other town or city. The community here is really close knit, mainly due to all of the events that go on around campus, but also through the unity we all share through the classes we take, the team we support, or the dorm we live in while on a college campus.

I get most of my state or national news through social media resources such as Twitter or Facebook. Among the personalities I follow are multiple news medias like ABC News, NBC News, CNN, BBC World News, and Fox News. On my phone, I have three Twitter accounts that send me notifications every time they post: NBC Breaking News, Dr. Reppert, and the unofficial Big Ben account.

I get most of my local news through my friends and passerby in my dorm, Honors South. If my

Image via SAU

friends and I aren't in the Blue and Gold Cafeteria for lunch or dinner, we're hanging out in the third floor lobby of Honors, probably playing Guitar Hero, Settlers of Catan, or just talking about our days. We're usually in the lobby till the early morning hours, around two or three in the morning. Of course, if it's a weekend we'll be in the lobby till way later than that to get Shipley's Donuts the next morning when they open at five.

I have a very diverse group of friends with varying backgrounds, occupations, political beliefs, and majors, so it's very easy to local news from all over campus with multiple opinions. We're all from a different parts of Arkansas, with a few of us being from out of state including Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, New Zealand, and even India. Throughout the course of the day, we're all on different parts of campus due to differing majors, so any news that's on campus will most likely make it to someone in the group.

If news does happen to slip through the cracks, by hanging out in the lobby and being friendly with essentially everyone in the Honors dorm, any news that comes through the dorm will make it into the ears of one of us.

News is important, whether local, state, national, or international. Build a listening post!

States highlighted in red indicate the home state of a friend in my 'friend group'.

Assignment 9: Public Records (State, National, International)

Newark, Ohio Police Reports through October 10th.

These incident reports were gathered from the Granville Police Department over the past week.

Image via The Newark Advocate

On Sept. 28, police arrested a juvenile male in the area of the Sunset Drive parking lot for possession and drug paraphernalia. The juvenile was released to parents.

Police investigated an act of vandalism in which a toilet was torn from a men's room of an East Broadway business on Sept. 30.

Warnings and/or citations for speeding and/or failure to observe stop signs were issued in the areas of Ohio 16 and Thornwood Crossing (numerous), Ohio 16 and River Road, and Newark-Granville Road and Bryn Du Drive.

Original story via The Newark Advocate

Assignment 8: Public Records (Local)

South Arkansas bankruptcies from the week ended on October 2nd.

Image via Getty Images

Listed below are the bankruptcies listed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas in South Arkansas, sorted by county.

Lafayette County

Brenda Wesley, 1220 Waldo St, Stamps; Chapter 13; bankruptcy filed September 26.

Union County

Whitney Lynn Haynes, 11168 Haynesville Hwy, Junction City; Chapter 7; bankruptcy filed September 27.

Terry Johnson and Roshonda Rochell Johnson, 1631 N. Martin Luther King Blvd, El Dorado; Chapter 13; bankruptcy filed September 28.

Randal Gene Wells, 548 Kelly Road, El Dorado; Chapter 7; bankruptcy filed September 30.

James Levi Bynum, P.O. Box 238, Junction City; Chapter 13; bankruptcy filed September 30.

Linda Faye Ford, 601 Nelson St., El Dorado; Chapter 13; bankruptcy filed September 30.

Original story via The Magnolia Reporter

Assignment 7: Campus Hard or Feature News

Texas Christian University responds to divisive on-campus comedian.

Texas Christian University released a statement on Tuesday, calling an on-campus comedian "offensive" during the filming of his show. Steven Crowder set up a booth on a public sidewalk on the TCU campus with a sign reading, "Rape culture is a myth. Change my mind," and he garnered a strong, mostly negative reaction from university students.

Image via Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Joyce Marshall

Crowder's show usually features the comedian behind a booth sporting a controversial statement with the subheading, "Change my mind." TCU's Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull wrote in a statement that Crowder, "makes his living by posing a divisive statement to a group, often college students, and asking them to change his mind."

When Crowder was setting up his booth, on Twitter he called the episode, "possibly the most controversial #ChangeMyMind to date." TCU students reacted strongly with a large group gathering around his table.

Tyler Long, a student at TCU, questioned Crowder's decision on the topic at a college campus. "I think the main feeling was, why are you on our campus? Rape culture is definitely more prevalent on a college campus. That especially made it [ten] times more offensive because of its prevalence here."

Kaden Freeman, a sophomore at TCU, defended Crowder's right to be on campus and pose a provocative statement. "This is public, he has every right to come out and talk whether or not people agree or disagree."

Video via Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Calvins-Tull acknowledged the displeasure with Crowder's appearance on campus and addressed the issue with a statement on individuals who pushed for action by the university. "We are a community, and in the marketplace of ideas, the best remedy for bad ideas are good ideas. Let’s keep talking," Tull said.

Original story via Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Steven Crowder on Twitter

Assignment 6: Campus Crime

Loyola student beaten, robbed on campus. Students on campus not notified of attack.

The alleyway outside of Mullins' apartment where the attack occurred.
via The Loyola Phoenix, Owen Connor

Loyola University senior Lizzie Mullins, 21, was beaten and robbed in an alleyway outside of her apartment on September 17th. Mullins was heading home from a friends house at around 2:30am when she was attacked by three men.

Mullins says she was struck in the head and robbed of all of her belongings, including her purse, wallet, and cell phone. "I can't even remember... All I know is they took all my stuff," Mullins said.

The Communications student said her memory is still very hazy, and that she didn't remember there being anything wrong until she was in her apartment and noticed she was covered in her own blood. Mullins said, "I have no memory of what they did to me... I've been trying to replay the narrative in my head of like, what could explain the scratches I have, [and] where I do have the bruise I have [sic]."

After Chicago PD and Loyola Campus Safety arrived and Mullins was sent to the hospital, no students, including Mullins' roommate, was notified of the incident that occurred on campus. Junior Taylor Perez said she uses the alleyway the attack occurred in very frequently. "It makes me pretty scared, not going to lie, because I live around here," Perez said.

No notification of any kind was sent by the Campus Safety unit after the attack. Sophomore Veena Sundar was unaware of the attack until she was informed by The Phoenix. "Maybe [Campus Safety] didn't think it was that important, which obviously is wrong," Sundar said.

The investigation is ongoing by Chicago PD.

Original story via The Loyola Phoenix, Michael McDevitt

Assignment 5: Hometown Feature News

New artwork on display at Hendrix College meant to raise questions.

Hendrix College in Conway is introducing some new artwork into the Department of Religious Studies and Department of Philosophy on campus.

The new artwork lining the walls of Ellis Hall are meant to raise questions and asks, "viewers to ponder how they empathetically engage with the human body as it's depicted in portrait paintings." The exhibit, "Body of Empathy," opened on September 19th and will be available to view until the summer of 2019.

Pictured: Eva O'Donovan, Emma 2018, oil on printed fabric, 35" x 45"
via The Log Cabin Democrat

The exhibit will feature artwork from six different artists, including Karen Fleming, Emily Mcllroy, Nina Jordan, and others. A press release reveals the theme of the exhibit explores whether, "viewers cam empathize with characters or personas in paintings."

Associate Professor of Philosophy James Dow says, "Hendrix College's mission statement suggests that we aim to cultivate empathy." Dow continues, "... we hope that the show will provide an opportunity for a conversation about ideas of empathy considered from a variety of perspectives."

Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat

Assignment 4: Hometown Hard News

Conway man suspected in 1988 Michigan stabbing

On September, 30th 1988, 34 year old Paul Ernest Girard was found stabbed to death in Marquette, Michigan. Girard had been stabbed "approximately 64 times" in the back, chest, and face area. Girard was last seen on the night of his murder in 'The Big Boy' restaurant in Marquette.

via Canada News Media

The unnamed Conway man was also in Marquette, Michigan during the time of Girard's murder, working as a tree planter in the area. An old photo, according to the warrant affidavit, places the Conway man at The Big Boy restaurant at the same time as Girard.

During the week of September, 30th, the suspect did not show up to work all week, stating that he "likes to take time away from people." When he returned to work the following week, a coworker asked where he'd been. The suspect responded with, "killing people, [because] I don't like them anyway."

The suspect's boss reported suspicious behavior from the suspect, citing, "he displayed rather odd, strange, and inappropriate behavior from time-to-time."

The Conway man stated he was at The Big Boy restaurant where the photo was taken to, "score some pot." He says he waited till near closing before he could try to get any, so he couldn't have killed Girard. The photo aforementioned shows the suspect smoking a cigarette.

The Michigan State Police Forensic Lab used three biological samples from the crime scene and cross-examined each with a DNA sample from a cigarette but found in the suspects car. Each sample matched one another, meaning they all came from the same source, leading to the Conway man. A warrant has been filed to retrieve a DNA sample from the suspect.

Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat

Assignment 3: Twitter News Leads

Apple announces three new iPhones: iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max https://t.co/EiAcowwCF1 via @CNET

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Inmate in maximum-security unit found unresponsive in cell, dies of no apparent cause https://t.co/LwptTPLgLI

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers leaves game with leg injury, comes back at halftime to stun the Chicago Bears 24-23 https://t.co/GYHdBaDzud

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Former president of Ecclesia College sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud https://t.co/w4RydeTTIv

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

7 NYPD officers arrested for involvement in prostitution ring in Brooklyn, investigation ongoing since 2015 https://t.co/lCMADrj98x via @nbcnewyork

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Conor McGregor being sued by UFC fighter for bus attack in April https://t.co/vAMBLbmk3m

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Tesla CEO Elon Musk offered $150,000 and cannabis in exchange for role in porn film https://t.co/G9bYvWlP0x #FoxNews

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Ex-convict sentenced to life without parole for murder of Chinese student in Utah https://t.co/AA0jtPIvq5 via @SCMPNews

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Le'Veon Bell still absent from Steeler's facility, not expected to play in Week 2 https://t.co/3HRSv0U5P2 via @CBSSports

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Henry Cavill quits role as Superman in DC Universe, set to star in Netflix series https://t.co/3KqZtUAyTH via @thr

— Colby Clinton (@A1AColb) September 13, 2018

Assignment 2: Twitter Breaking News Over 24 Hours

Man repeatedly rams Fox affiliate building with his truck.

In the early morning of Wednesday, September, 5th, Michael Chadwick Fry, 34,  repeatedly rammed his vehicle into the side of the Fox 4 Dallas studio building, causing significant damage. He then exited his vehicle and began throwing fliers, many which involved news coverage of a police shooting incident in 2012 in which he was involved in. Many of the papers had been written on by Fry where he accused the police force of brainwashing, fraud, and attempting to kill him for years. Fry is currently in custody. (via Dallas News)

I followed Fox 4 Dallas reporter Shannon Murray's Twitter account as she chronicled the event at her workplace. Note that tweets not directly made by Murray were retweeted by her and appeared on her Twitter timeline.

Scary moment this morning when a man drove his truck into our building. We evacuated while the bomb squad is investigating. pic.twitter.com/fnbDopcJFb

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018

The man is in custody. We evacuated and I am safe... thanks everyone for reaching out with calls and texts! https://t.co/LfZHsjD3b7

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018

Only things I grabbed as we were evacuating... earpiece, mic & phone. pic.twitter.com/duRJCPIybo

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018

The man was ranting about treason and law enforcement after he crashed into our building twice. It’s not clear what his message was or what’s written on all of his papers. Officers found a “suspicious package” so the bomb squad is here now. pic.twitter.com/NpT4eG2LbT

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018

DART service downtown is shutdown. One rider just told me she was dropped off at Pearl and had to walk over. pic.twitter.com/BtnYaBfrUi

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018 

This was the man who smashed his truck into our station this morning..throwing papers around while yelling "high treason". @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/k7PsosDQIk

— Brandon Todd (@BrandonToddFOX4) September 5, 2018

We’re back inside @FOX4 now. Here’s a closer look at the crash, papers and “suspicious bag” the bomb squad was investigating. pic.twitter.com/JthMk26zhX

— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) September 5, 2018

Some of the papers the suspect was carrying when he repeatedly rammed his truck into the @FOX4 building ranting about a police involved shooting pic.twitter.com/LNZMiNLsal

— Natalie Solis (@Fox4Natalie) September 5, 2018

#BREAKING Surveillance video shows how the driver intentionally plowed into the building twice before getting out and ranting pic.twitter.com/SupYzvHr8H

— Steve Noviello (@SteveNoviello) September 5, 2018

Enterprise confirms truck driven by Michael Fry was one of its rentals.“We are cooperating with the authorities and will provide any assistance that we can to the investigation. In situations involving the police, we always refer all media queries to them, as a matter of policy.” pic.twitter.com/hiswfKxav8

— Blake Hanson (@BlakeFox4News) September 5, 2018

The many, many mug shots of 34yo Michael Chadwick Fry. His criminal history started when he was 19yo & includes assault, drug possession and DWI charges. @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/wRRLkehcHp

— Natalie Solis (@Fox4Natalie) September 5, 2018

Assignment 1: Defining News

via Pexels

What is news?

The definition of news is different for everyone. 'News' is defined by Merriam-Webster as, "a report of recent events; previously unknown information; something having a specified influence or effect," (source).

So, why is it that the definition of news is different for everyone? It all depends on where you get your news and, more importantly, what news you look for. To a young child, news may be the announcement of a new toy or new cartoon episodes premiering soon. In contrast, the older generation's news may primarily be related to politics or the economy. News for young adults may include nearby job openings or the relationship status of particular celebrities. The reason news is different for everyone is because of priorities.

When watching a newscast such as ABC World News or NBC Nightly News, a broad range of topics

via @manuginobili

are covered in thirty minutes to an hour, from politics to foreign relations; the economy and sports. If every news story in America was covered every night, the nightly news would be hours long, so how do they decide what to air? Priorities.

Everyone has priorities and these priorities determine what news is important to you. The preference for what you want to hear about defines your news. Personally, I enjoy being notified of any sports news happening around the world. I care much less for news about the stock market or which senator was arrested this week. I have a preference for what I like to hear about, and that is what news is to me.

Even if not apparent, everyone has a preference for what news they like to hear. Not everyone enjoys politics, but some crave to hear political happenings every day. The stock market seems complicated looking in but insiders feed off the most recent news of Fortune 500 companies, either out of pure enjoyment and interest or a personal stake in the trading.

This doesn't mean to ignore everything else and only listen to what you want to hear about. It's important to read further into what may be confusing or nonsensical to you in order to learn more about the world around you, though what you read may not necessarily be news to you.

My definition of news revolves solely around the individual. What do you want to hear about? What is important to you? That is how I define news.