New York Times Upfront articles from October 2005

New York Times Upfront archives from October 2005

Wrestlers warm up.(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Wrestlers warm up in an arena in El Alto, Bolivia, where they compete in lucha libre (freestyle fighting), Latina America's version of World Wrestling Entertainment. Fans pack the arena by the hundreds,...

Power from a placebo?(increasing use of titanium jewelry)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... An increasing number of pro ballplayers and their fans have begun wearing jewelry embedded with titanium for its supposed energy-boosting properties. Phiten, the Japanese company that makes the jewelry, claims that it enhances the body's...

Numbers in the news.(fossilized dinosaur embryos, flooded New Orleans, journalist imprisonment in China)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... 190 million Age in years of fossilized dinosaur embryos, the oldest ever found, recently unearthed in South Africa. SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES 80% Portion of New Orleans submerged on Aug. 30 when the city was flooded...

No skillet big enough.(FISH TALES)(giant catfish caught in Thailand)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Announcing itself with four huge whacks of its tail, it thrashed against the net that had trapped it in the pale brown water of the Mekong River. It may have been the biggest freshwater fish ever recorded--a rare giant catfish 9 feet long and...

Basically clueless.(Americans' scientific knowledge)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... When it comes to basic science, says Jon D. Miller of Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, around 75 percent of Americans "don't have a clue." According to Miller's research, one adult American in five thinks the sun revolves...

Noted & quoted.(SOUNDBITES)
October 10, 2005... 'We're orthodox in belief but unorthodox in practice.' --Reverend Mark Batterson of Washington's National Community Church, on his use of podcasting, or, as he cars it, "godcasting," to publicize his congregation and reach a wider...

An end to pesky stickers?(laser tattoos on fruits)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Consumers tired of picking those tiny stickers off pears, peaches, and plums can take heart: Fruit with edible "tattoos" is on the way. A new technology uses lasers to etch fruits and vegetables with their names, identifying numbers, countries...

Reaching the top, seven times over.(Q&A)(Danidle Fisher who ccessfully scaled Mount Everest in Nepal and Tibet)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 10, 2005... On June 2, Danidle Fisher, 20, successfully scaled Mount Everest in Nepal and Tibet, becoming the youngest person in history to climb the Seven Summits--the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. Fisher, who was diagnosed with attention...

World divorce rates.(UNTYING THE KNOT)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 10, 2005... The graph shows the countries with the highest divorce rates. Contributing factors include changing family structures and divorce laws. TOP 10 DIVORCE RATES * #1 Belarus #2 U.S. #3 Russia #4 Ukraine #5 Aruba...

Do those menus come with egg roll?(Harley Spiller's menu collection makes into the Guinness Book of World Records)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... How many Chinese takeout menus does it take to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records? Harley Spiller, 46, of Brooklyn, N.Y., hopes that his collection--between 10,000 and 15,000 Chinese menus from around the world--will suffice. The...

Grim reality spawns reality TV.(Al Sharqiya)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Laborers were busy hammering planks, Laying bricks, and pouring concrete. Al Sharqiya, an Iraqi TV network, had contracted them to rebuild the Baghdad home of Amal Ramzi Ismail, whose house was destroyed when U.S. troops blew up a munitions...

In Katrina's wake: America comes to grips with Katrina's long-term impact, and asks if we're prepared for the next disaster--natural or man-made.(Cover Story)
October 10, 2005... LESSON PLAN 1: NATIONAL Hurricane Katrina's aftermath BACKGROUND Hurricane Katrina did more than destroy property and kilt people; it also raised questions about government responsibility for coming to the aid of victims of...

A court in transition: with the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O'Connor's pending retirement, the Supreme Court is about to enter a new era.
October 10, 2005... LESSON PLAN 2: NATIONAL SUPREME COURT IN TRANSITION BACKGROUND The Supreme Court can and does affect young people. Two examples: Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, outlawing public-school. segregation; and the 1984 case, Grove...

Robo-legs: new prosthetic limbs are providing increased mobility for many amputees--and blurring the line between humans and machines.(NATIONAL)
October 10, 2005... With his blond hair, buff torso, and megawatt smile, Cameron Clapp is in many ways the quintessential California teenager. There are, however, a few things that set him apart: For starters, this former skater boy is now making his way through...

Niger's anguish: the people of Niger, the world's second-poorest country, are used to struggle. This year, famine has worsened their plight.
October 10, 2005... LESSON PLAN 3: INTERNATIONAL ANGUISH IN AFRICA'S NIGER BACKGROUND Some students may ask why anyone would five in such an inhospitable area. Tell them that nomadic peoples in the region historically sustained themselves with...

After Gaza: with Israel out of Gaza, the Palestinians face critical challenges and tough choices about their future.
October 10, 2005... Roughly 8,500 Jewish settlers have packed up their lives and left Gaza, where many had lived for three decades. The pullout in mid-August came a year and a half after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared his intention to withdraw from...

Aiming at the men: will Michelle Wie's success affect the future of women in professional sports?(SPORTS)
October 10, 2005... At 16, Michelle Wie is already a star, attracting the attention of sponsors and players alike. But her age isn't the only thing that has people talking: Unlike other female golfers, she considers Tiger Woods her competition, not women's tour...

Methamphetamine: toxic. Additive. Devastating. Get the facts! Also known as "meth" or "ice," this highly addictive and brain-altering drug is a threatening scourge on individuals, families, and communities.(HEADS UP REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY)
October 10, 2005... Dear Teacher: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and Scholastic Inc. are dedicated to bringing students clear, science-based information about drugs and addiction. We are passionate about this mission because research has shown...

1960: independence takes root across Africa: in one momentous year, 17 nations were freed from European colonial rule.
October 10, 2005... LESSON PLAN 4: TIMES PAST 1960: AFRICAN FREEDOM MOVEMENTS BACKGROUND In the 19th century, intense competition for Africa's mineral riches led to disputes between several European powers. In 1884-85, European readers gathered for a...

Making excuses as people die.(Hurricane Katrina)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Why were New Orleans and the nation so unprepared for Hurricane Katrina? Why did aid and security take so tong to arrive? The evidence points to a stunning tack of preparation and urgency in the federal government's response. At a fundamental...

What global warming may do to future storms.(OPINION)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... If the White House wants to move the debate about Hurricane Katrina beyond the "blame game," here's a constructive step that President Bush could take to protect people in the future: Tackle global warming. True, we don't know whether Katrina...

A chance to take on the cycle of poverty.(Hurricane Katrina, 2005 's effect on economy of New Orleans)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Hurricane Katrina has given us a chance to do something serious about urban poverty. That's because it was a natural, disaster that interrupted a social, disaster. It separated thousands of poor people from the rundown, isolated neighborhoods...

Nuclear energy: does it make sense for the environment? After decades of wariness, interest in nuclear power is picking up. Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
October 10, 2005... YES Nuclear power is the largest source of emission-free energy generation in the U.S. One of every five American homes and businesses gets its electricity from a nuclear plant. Meeting tighter limits on air pollution is an ambitious...

Lessons from a native in Spain.
October 10, 2005... For the past six years, I've gone abroad in the summer. While the countries I visited--France, Italy, and Greece, for example--were beautiful, I might as well have been on Pluto because of the language barrier. But when I went to Spain in the...

Cartoons.(Cartoon)
October 10, 2005... Kevin Kallaugher * The Economist * Cartoonists & Writers Syndicate Scott Stantis * USA Today * Copley News Service Steve Breen * The San Diego Union-Tribune * Copley News Service Bob Gorrell * Creators Syndicate Ed Stein * The...

Letter from the editor.(Editorial)
October 10, 2005... None of us will forget the images from New Orleans, coastal cities in Mississippi, and other areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in American history. Our Cover Story and Opinion page examine both its immediate...

Game show.
October 10, 2005... Use with articles identified. The statements are answers to questions (modeled after the TV show Jeopardy). Students must answer in the form of questions. Divide the class into teams. Read the statements. Call on the...