Journal Entry

The new Lexus GX 460 series of SUV made by Toyota has been halted from sales. Toyota stopped selling the vehicle because Consumer Reports magazine deemed the SUV unsafe. Consumer Reports said the vehicle has handling issues that could cause the automobile to roll-over easily.

Original Article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/business/14auto.html?hp

Press Release

STU

University of Minnesota-Duluth

1117 University Drive

Duluth, MN 55812

Contact: Stu

Phoneline: (651)-890-7558

Minnesota can welcome a new rapper to the scene. His name is Kyle Stutz, but better known as Stu. Stu has recently found the hip-hop world while attending University of Minnesota-Duluth and hasn’t looked back since. With new songs such as “Victory” and “Struggle for Air” Stu hopes to get his big break soon. Look him up at http://www.youtube.com/user/hockstud185?feature=mhw4 and be the first in your neighborhood to get a glance at Minnesota’s future star.

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Journal Entry

Mount Redoubt, about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, had a swarm of small earthquakes all day Monday. The 10,197-foot volcano has erupted numerous times since 1960 and could erupt again soon. Scientists plan on flying to Mount Redoubt to measure volcanic gases, hopefully to find a time frame for when the volcano could erupt.

Original article:

http://www.adn.com/2010/04/06/1214559/earthquakes-wane-on-redoubt-volcano.html

Enterprise Topic

I chose to look into whether going to college right away after high school is the best option. I will be looking into the difference between taking a year off (or more) could actually be beneficial or not. I chose this topic because it affects many high schoolers who may not have decided their major yet or are unsure of the school they would like to go to. I find it interesting because I would like to know why students go to college (or don't) after high school. I will also find out the reasons some may not have gone to school after high school.

Journal Entry

The number of homeless in Times Square has dropped from 55 (in 2005) to 7 this past summer. But now, there is only one; his name is Heavy and he refuses to leave the streets. He has politely declined housing offers and claims he is a protector of the streets. Social workers continue to offer him housing and they hope that one day he will accept their offer.

Original article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/nyregion/30heavy.html?ref=todayspaper

Story 6

Hours in airports, days of travel and living out of a suitcase—the life of an airplane pilot. Tim Mesjak of Woodland, Wash. knows the sacrifice and at the end of the day says it is all worth it.

Mesjak, 37, has had an interest in airplanes since his sophomore year in high school. He grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minn. and it was there that he found his love for flying. “I took an aviation class (in high school) and really found airplanes interesting,” he said. Mesjak decided to further his education and interest in airplanes at University of North Dakota (UND), where he received his Bachelor of Science in airway science: air craft systems management in 1996. A Bachelor of Science in airway science: air craft systems management “is basically designed to make you a professional pilot, an aviation inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or an accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSP),” stated Mesjak.

Tim has been a pilot since graduating, first working for Horizon and is currently flying for Alaska Airlines. He has been with Alaska Airlines for five years now and is ranked First Officer for flying a Boeing 737 jet. The next step in ranks for Tim is Captain, “The difference between a Captain and First Officer is the Captain calls all the shots and deals with other issues,” said Mesjak, “but as far as actually flying the plane goes, there is no difference.” The First Officer sits to the right of the Captain in the cockpit. He has flown all around the U.S. and said his favorite place he’s flown into was Kauai, Hawaii.

Being a pilot, Mesjak spends a lot of time in airports and away from home. “The only downside to being a pilot is the four or five day trips where you bounce from airport to airport and hotel to hotel,” he said. Through all the travel and the time being spent away from home Tim still maintains a relationship with his wife of four years, Carly Mesjak. He met her through a mutual friend in aviation. She works as an air traffic controller for the Portland Airport, so she understands the aviation and/or traveling lifestyle. Tim and Carly recently built a house on five acres of land in Woodland, Wash. “It’s nice to be in small town and get some peace and quiet. It really is relaxing being surrounded by woods after a long week on the road in big cities such as New York,” said Tim.

When he is not on the road traveling, Tim enjoys playing golf, water-skiing, going on nature walks with his wife and watching sports and relaxing. Being a pilot is what he always wanted to do and he says it is very rewarding. “It gets stressful at times,” he said, “but there isn’t a better feeling than flying an airplane and there is nothing I’d rather be doing.” Tim plans to keep flying for Alaska Airlines and hopes that in the years to come he will be a Captain.

Journal Entry

A man from Crystal, Minn. was found dead in the street due to blunt force trauma. Michael John Rymer was pronounced dead by Hennepin County medical examiners yesterday. Witnesses say they saw an SUV drive by, strike the man, and keep going. Police are still investigating the death.

Original article:

http://www.twincities.com/ci_14730074