Articles written by James Zipadelli

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About me - James Zipadelli

My name is James Zipadelli. I have been a freelance writer since November 2007. I have freelanced for Mass High Tech, the Allston-Brighton Tab, the entertainment magazine the Weekly Dig, and the Web company Targeted News Service. I interned at the daily newspaper

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Arts & Humanities > Writing (Other) How to engage time-crunched readers: 1 of 9

Readers are time-crunched today. The average attention span is around five seconds. Unfortunately, many journalists, myself included, are under pressure to cut our stories. My fear has always been that if we cut our stories too much, they lose their relevance. But engaging time-crunched readers can be acheived, with a little...
Politics, News & Issues > News (Other) Should a murderer be allowed to profit from a tell-all book?: 1 of 9

A murderer should NOT be allowed to profit from a tell-all book. When I was looking at this topic, I was reminded of O.J. Simpson's notorious memoir, If I Did It, an account of what he would have done had he been behind the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. Simpson was acquitted in 1994 o...
Politics, News & Issues > Environmental Awareness World Water Day 2009: Transboundary water: 5 of 25

World Water Day theme hits close to home In any other year, World Water Day might be an afterthought. But in this economic downturn, World Water Day, which will be observed March 22, has greater importance. The theme is "Transnational Boundaries: Sharing Water, Sharing Opportunities." According to the United Nations Web site...
Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) Do 'enhanced interrogation techniques' permitted by the Bush Justice Department constitute torture?: 2 of 10

Using 'enhanced interrogation techniques' is just another way of saying torture. There are several problems with these techniques, which include waterboarding and sleep deprivation. The first problem is that these techniques don't make us safer - the suspect might just be telling us what we want to hear just so we could stop...
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: A day at the beach: 43 of 195

Pack the chairs, pack the umbrella pack the cooler, burgers and drinks It's 90 degrees out I want to swim. Sun beats down Wind in my hair Waves lap on the shore Women getting tan Smell of hamburgs on the grill People watching Rubbing sunscreen on Make new friends Reconnect with old flames, Create new memories Time to go pack...
Health & Fitness > Vitamins & Dietary Supplements What do the most popular health supplements do?: 6 of 18

Millions of Americans take health supplements, but the National Health Interview Survey, conducted in 2007 by the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and the National Center for Health Statistics shows just how widespread health supplements are. Here are some of the ten most popular health supplements....
Politics, News & Issues > Justice System Should the U.S. Senate confirm Sonia Sotomayor as President Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court?: 3 of 9

A Supreme Court nominee is the most important decision a President makes. He or she affects profound legal issues in our lives long after that President has left office. Based on a compelling life story, a changing American electorate and sound legal jurisprudence, Sotomayor should absolutely be confirmed to the Supreme Cour...
Arts & Humanities > Writing (Other) Tips for reporting on nonprofits: 1 of 3

"Hello, would you like to donate to (X)? Your contribution will help us." Have you ever been approached by someone, or have you gotten a phone call from someone? Non-profits are a really important area for reporters to investigate because the public donates money in good faith to that organization, expecting the organization...
Arts & Humanities > Internet Writing & Blogging Effects of citizen journalism on mainstream media: 2 of 5

The phrase, "Citizen journalism" has had a detrimental effect on the mainstream media. First, it confuses the reader/viewer because they don't often trust the mainstream media in the first place. Second, anyone who has a blog and a camera thinks they can be a journalist. And third, it dilutes the importance of "traditional" ...
Relationships & Family > Family Life The boomerang kids: 18 of 40

"Boomerang" kids moving home has benefits, too Think you're the only one that is moving into your parent's basement after college? Think again. Anecdotal evidence suggests that men and women between the ages of 20 and 30, commonly referred to as "boomerang kids" who move back home to live with Mom and Dad is more common than...