homework -tsunami in American Samoa

Read the story. Answer the questions.
APIA, Samoa – A massive tsunami flattened Samoan villages and swept cars and people out to sea, killing at least 99 and leaving dozens missing Wednesday. 

Survivors of the tsunami fled the  water for higher ground and remained huddled there hours after.

Four tsunami waves 15 to 20 feet  high roared ashore on American Samoa, reaching up to a mile inland.

In Washington, President Obama has declared a major disaster for American Samoa.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) How many people have been killed?

4) How many waves hit American Samoa?

5) How high were the waves?

6) What is a tsunami?

7) Extra credit: What continent is nearest to American Samoa? 

HINT: Go to google maps, type in American Samoa, and zoom out to see the continent! So cool!

Info from AP. Pic from google image (papamiket.com)

homework - Assassination poll on facebook

Read the story. Answer the questions.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Secret Service is investigating an online survey that asked whether people thought President Barack Obama should be assassinated, officials said Monday, September 28, 2009.

The poll, posted Saturday on Facebook, was taken off the popular website quickly after company officials found out about it. 

But Secret Service agents are taking no chances.

"We are aware of it and we will take the appropriate investigative steps," said Darrin Blackford, a Secret Service spokesman. "We take of these things seriously."

The poll asked people "Should Obama be killed?" 

The answers you could choose were: No, Maybe, Yes, and Yes if he cuts my health care.

The question was not created by Facebook, but by an independent person using an add-on application that has been suspended from the site.

Questions:

1)Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What was the online poll asking?

4) What organization is investigating the survey?

Story taken from Yahoo News

Homework - BIG baby!

Read the info. Answer the questions.

Indonesia -  Ani from Indonesia delivered a 19.2-lb. baby, the heaviest newborn ever recorded in the country on Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

Doctors say that the baby grew this big because the mother has diabetes. This means that the baby got too much sugar while he was in his mother's stomach. Doctors report that the baby needs non-stop feeding.

Is this the heaviest baby ever born? NO! The heaviest baby ever was an American infant born in 1879. He weighed 23 pounds, 12 ounces. Sadly, he died a few hours after being born.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) Why did the baby get this big?

4) How much does this baby weigh?

5) How much did the heaviest baby ever weigh?

homework -4 NJ cops shot

Read the story. Answer the questions.

LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Gunfire erupted as a police squad tried to pull off a no-knock search warrant in a New Jersey suburb Thursday, leaving four officers and a suspect shot.

One Lakewood police officer who was shot in the face and another who was shot in the foot were taken to a hospital. Two others sustained minor injuries when they were struck in their bulletproof vests.

The suspect, Jamie Gonzalez, 39, was taken to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

There was no word on their conditions and the names of the officers have not been released.
Police had planned to search the house for drugs and weapons.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What is the suspect's name?

4) How many police officer's were injured?

5) What were the police searching for in the house?

Info from yahoo news

Homework - Teen Attacker Awakes

Read the story. Answer the questions.

BERLIN – A German prosecutor (lawyer) says a teenager who stormed his school armed with an ax, knives and Molotov cocktails in an attack that injured nine students and a teacher has awoken from a coma.

The prosecutor said that the 18-year-old was still too sick to question him about Thursday's attack. If he continues to get better, the prosecutor's office would serve the teen a warrant for 10 counts of attempted murder.

The boy entered his school in Ansbach in Bavaria shortly after classes started, threw Molotov cocktails into a classroom and attacked students with an ax. Police shot him five times in the upper body during his arrest.

Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What did the teenager do?
4) How many students were injured?
5) How many counts of attempted murder will the teen be served with?

homework -Floor mats causing crashes

Click on this Yahoo video . Watch it and and then answer these questions:

Questions:

1) What car company is the video  talking about?

2) What caused the crash?

3) Name one of the people that was killed?

4)How many cars did Toyota recall in 2007?

Due Mon 9/21/09. 

Homework -Chris Brown on probation

Virginia - Chris Brown has started his 180-day community labor sentence. He was also sentenced to five years of probation and a year of domestic violence classes for assaulting Rihanna.

Wearing a bright orange vest, the 20-year-old singer was spotted picking up garbage and cleaning police horse stables on Wednesday in his Richmond, Va., hometown.

Brown wasn't embarrassed about it.

Earlier in the day, he Twittered, "On my way to community service."

The chief of police in Richmond  said Brown will also have to remove graffiti and wash cars. 

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) How many days of community service did Chris Brown get?

4) How many years of probation did Chris Brown get?

5) Why is Chris Brown on probation?

Info taken from Yahoo. 

homework - Shoe thrower released

BAGHDAD – The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former President George W. Bush was released Tuesday after nine months in prison. He said he was beaten, whipped and  shocked after his arrest.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi, whose  shoe throwing last December made him a hero around the Arab and Muslim worlds, said he now feared for his life and believed that U.S. intelligence agents would chase after him.

Al-Zaidi said he felt like he to act after seeing all the bad things the war had done to his country.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When was Muntadhar al-Zeidi released from prison?

3) Why was he sent to prison in the first place?

4)How many months did he serve in prison?

Homework - Kanye vs Swift

MTV music awards - Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift yesterday at the MTV music awards.

"I always dreamed about what it would be like to win one of these one day," Taylor said with surprise. "I never thought it would happen."

As Taylor continued, Kanye interrupted, saying he thought Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video was wrongly overlooked. "Hey Taylor, I'm really happy for you, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."

Taylor looked humiliated. The audience booed him, and gave her a standing ovation.


Not only was Kanye's approach disrespectful, it was especially disrespectful because it was directed towards a teenage girl, actually. Taylor won't turn 20 until December.

Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What did Kanye West do?
4) Was Kanye disrespectful in your opinion? Why or why not?

Info and pic taken from yahoo news (Billy Johnson)

Homework - 9/11 Remembered

Read the info. Answer the questions.

NEW YORK – Families carrying photos of lost loved ones walked into a plaza near ground zero to observe the eighth anniversary of the World Trade Center attack.

Thousands are will go to the ceremonies in New York City, at the Pentagon, and at the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 in a Shanksville, Pa., field.

Elaine Dejesus of Clifton, N.J., brought a framed picture of her sister, Nereida (nur-AY'-duh), to the rainy Manhattan ceremony.

Dejesus, wiping away tears, said it took months to prepare mentally, and she does "a lot of praying." But she also tries to remember "the fun times."

Four moments of silence were planned in New York — for when jetliners crashed into each tower and for when each tower collapsed.

Questions:

1) Where will the ceremonies for 9/11 happen?

2) When will the ceremonies occur?

3) How many moments of silence will take place?

4) What anniversary of the World Trade Center attack is it this year?

Due Monday 9/14/09

Pic and info taken from yahoo news

Homework - Jeter

Look at the picture. Read the Info. Answer the questions.

NEW YORK - With three hits on Wednesday (09/09/09), Jeter matched the New York Yankees record of 2,721, a mark Lou Gehrig held by himself for more than 70 years.

"It's just kind of mind-boggling to have my name next to his," Jeter said on the field during a postgame.

New York won against the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on a three-run homer by pinch-hitter Jorge Posada in the eighth inning. 

The comeback victory made it easier for Jeter to enjoy his accomplishment — he tied Gehrig with a seventh-inning single off rookie starter Jeff Niemann.

"I'm happy that I was able to do it here at home," Jeter said. "We had so many special moments across the street. Hopefully this is the first of many memorable moments here at the new stadium."

Questions:

1) How many hits did Jeter get to tie Gehrig's record?

2) What team were the Yankees playing?

3) When did Jeter tie the record?

4) Where did the story take place?

5) Which team won the game?

Due Fri 9/11/09

Info and pic taken from yahoo news.

Homework - Floods

Read the story. Look at the picture. Answer the questions.

ISTANBUL – Flash floods gushed across a major highway in Istanbul today, killing at least 20 people and stranding dozens in cars or on rooftops, the city's governor said. Some of the dead drowned inside their vehicles.

Waters rose more than three feet high.

The governor said eight other people were still missing and 20 others were injured.

People climbed onto the roofs of their cars, hoping to be rescued. Television footage showed trucks crushed against each other by the powerful floods.

Questions:

1) How many people were killed in the floods?

2) How high did the waters rise?

3) How many many people are still missing?

4) When did the floods happen?

5) Where did the floods happen?

Info and pic taken from Yahoo news. 

Due on Thursday, 9/10/09