Laskas gave life to the "Underworld"

"Underworld" is probably my favorite article we have read thus far. Laskas took a subject that most would find boring and "out of date" (because most people have no idea we are still mining for coal) and gave it life. Coal mines are pretty lifeless places - dark, dreary, and literally lurking near the footsteps of death. That is until you really take a second to look at the things far from lifeless in a coal mine - people. Laskas really makes her readers appreciate what these men do. She makes it clear that they don't have to be there, they just are. Through an enormous amount of dialogue and description, Laskas turns a forgotten, eery profession into one that some might envy. She doesn't really capture the envious parts of the job itself, but what she does capture is the relationships these men have formed. She, herself turns out to be living proof of the relationships that grow out of the unique experience of working 50 stories down into the dark earth.

Throughout the entire article, I felt as if I was right there with Laskas, walking like a hunch-back and listening to these surprisingly vibrant men talk as if they weren't working under a million upon million pounds of rock that could come crashing down at any moment. In the dialogues she witnessed and was a part of, Laskas is able to capture how ordinary these men are - if the mine setting was removed, no one would know that these men worked in one.

Not only does Laskas have "i-felt-like-i-was-there" description and dialogue, she also adds in a lot of humor. This also brings a coal mining story to life. She seems to incorporate the very sarcastic sense of humor of the miners into her own description. It gives a coal mine a whole new atmosphere to imagine. Because of her very colloquial language, I have a completely different perspective about coal mines - mines aren't full of people who can't get a job anywhere else, they are full of people who don't mind getting their hands a little dirtier than usual to make a better living.

I think one of the main reasons Laskas was included in BAMW was because she took a seemingly dull topic and gave it some life - maybe even brought it back to life for those of you who thought coal mining was a dead profession.

i wanna see what happens to Tom and Judy

"Out in the Cold" begins by giving two stories of two different people who are both very passionate about their jobs, even though they are both aware of its dangers. This piece is quite ironic because the reader soon learns that these people were betrayed not only by the company for which they worked, but also by the government. Tom and Judy were willing to do anything to help out their country, and it seems as if those feelings were anything but mutual.

The testimony provided by Judy and Tom is very detailed. I imagine that Kessler was able to spend a lot of time with these individuals. He didn't just interview them, he got to know them. Tom even calls Kessler to give him the bad news about his blood loss and also that another tumor was discovered. The reader is able to really get a feel for both Judy and Tom, which makes the feature that much better.

Kessler also did a lot of research on "dose reconstruction" and the downward spiral of the Rocky Flats. This feature deals with a great amount of government agencies. I'm not sure of their level of secrecy, but I have a feeling, Kessler had to dig deep to get the good dirt. He did this either by talking to government officials or getting his hands on paperwork.

This story begins with two healthy people and then as Kessler tells they story of the Rocky Flats, the reader sees these people's health deteriorate right before their eyes. I think this is very effective in getting across his point. We aren't sure how long exactly Kessler followed these people, but their health seemed to deteriorate very quickly. While the technicalities of the Rocky Flats situation are a little confusing, readers keep reading to see what happens to Judy and Tom. The human interest is what is important.

living up to these won't be easy

I feel like I have a lot to live up to if my feature is to be anything close to "You Have Thousands of Angels Around You" or "Specialist Town Takes His Case to Washington." While the third reading was interesting, it did not draw me in like these two did. Williams constructed "You Have Thousands of Angels Around You" in a way that caused my eyes to remain glued to the text. While I can't even imagine the pain and suffering Cynthia endured, the detailed descriptions that Williams includes are successful in transporting you into at least the vicinity of Cynthia's life - not quite into her shoes, but i doubt Cynthia would wish that upon anyone. This story is so touching to me because this girl is close to my age and has been through more than I ever will or wish to go through. Stories such as these never fail to send me on a guilt trip. I read this laying in my queen size bed that sits in my cute green house which sits about .5 miles from a private University that likes to dig deep into my parent's pockets. There is not much I can complain about. Do I? Well, of course. There is telling a story and then there is bringing a story to life. Williams definitely accomplished the latter.

"Specialist Town Takes His Case to Washington" was also very successful a drawing me in. It is disgusting to me that anyone would treat a soldier in such a way. These men and women volunteer to put there lives at stake and then have it thrown right back in their face. What a disgrace to the American name. Both of these features are good representatives of a feature's purpose. They are controversial and heart-wrenching, while using cold-hard facts as their background. I can only hope someone won't be able to put my feature down.

hello future

After reading the review on hamburger restaurants in the DFW area, I was reminded about how wonderful my life would be if my job consisted of eating and then writing about eating. I aspire to be a restaurant/food critic/reviewer. I obviously need to do a little more research if I don't even know the job title of my dream job. Things are lookin' great. Regardless, you know what I'm talking about. The review showed me that there is more to a restaurant/food review than just writing about the restaurant and the food (unless, of course you don't want your review to be read). Yes, food is a wonderful part of being a human being and everyone loves to hear about the new greatest thing, but readers need the full effect. When I think of a typical food review, it includes the examination of the atmosphere, the prices, the service, and the food. In this review, they gave us more. They explained their journey in finding that one best hamburger, giving the reader a more interesting story to read. While I didn't want to review a review, I did want to reflect on the greatness of such a career. I'm sold.