Q: Aside from the vital importance of research to the process of providing accurate coverage, specific, in-depth research will also help you choose the most productive question to ask.  News conferences in particular are usually held to update the public about a storyline that is already being covered.  As such, you will be expected to have a base knowledge on the topic of the news conference, especially as a journalist.  Your own organization’s coverage is a great place to get up to date, as is talking to any co-workers that have been involved in coverage of related topics, or those who may be familiar with the speaker in particular. Research both the topic, and the expected speaker in particular. Particularly if the topic being covered is not immediately attention-grabbing, you and the other journalists may need to pull more information out of the speaker during the question and answer session than they volunteer.  If you expect an announcement about something that could go one way or the other, prepare questions that would address the specifics of either scenario. This may benefit you in multiple ways.  For one, your literal position in the room may prove to be the deciding factor in your getting the chance to ask a question. Further, arriving early allows the chance to speak with other journalists and maybe even conference organizers.   Ideally, shoot for a spot near where the speaker is sitting, or in the middle of the front row. If you are able to speak with a conference organizer, request the opportunity to speak with the speaker privately after the conference right off the bat.  They may be planning to allow a few journalists a bit more nuanced perspective of a situation, and coming first to the table increases the chances you’ll get dessert. News conferences can be fast-paced, so having notes handy as a reference can be helpful. On a notepad, jot down the important points the speaker makes and any word-by-word verbatim quotes that may be relevant to the story you intend to write or the interest of the organization you’re affiliated with.  In particular, take note of points you hope are revisited, and consider questions that would dictate a more extensive response regarding these points.   Good notes will allow you to cite a speaker’s own words to them.  For instance, you can later begin a question with “Earlier, you stated that _________, could you expand on that further or tell us explicitly what you meant be that?” Often, what a speaker chooses not to say is of equal importance to what they’ve said.  The more familiar you are with the topic, the more likely you’ll be able to predict or look for certain types of comments, and know that their absence may also be significant. For instance, if you’re aware of a certain facet of the topic that you know should be addressed and is not, structure a question accordingly.  You know there’s a reason it wasn’t brought up. Especially if you are affiliated with a reputable organization, it is always worth asking for the chance to speak with the speaker one on one after the conference.  If they are hesitant to grant the audience, specify that you only have one question to ask. Further, specify that you have a question you’d rather not ask during the conference.  You can even apply a bit of pressure to earn a private audience by implying or telling the speaker you know something that not everyone does, and you wish to discuss it discretely. While this may backfire and risk coming off as brash, it may also intrigue a speaker enough to hear your question. Unless you simply want to get your write-up to print as quickly as possible, hang around.  This will increase the chances of seeing or hearing more than what was conveyed in the context of a formal news conference.  The speaker may even be willing to speak casually with members of the press off the record, or speak further about topics unrelated to the topic of the press conference after it has concluded.
A: Do your research. Prepare a list of questions in advance. Arrive at the news conference early. Take notes. Listen for what the speaker doesn’t say. Ask for a private audience following the conference. Stay late.

Q: You can do this by lightly coating it with a nonstick cooking spray or by covering it with parchment paper. You can do this using an electric mixer or a food processor fitted with whisks. You can also do it by hand using a whisk, but it will take much longer. Keep mixing until the sugar is mixed evenly throughout the butter.  If you are vegan, you can use "vegan butter" instead. If the butter is too hard, let it sit at room temperature until it softens, or microwave it for about 45 seconds (depending on the strength of your microwave). Do not melt the butter. Keep mixing until everything is evenly combined. If you are vegan, you can use a non-dairy milk instead, such as almond or soy. Mixing the dry ingredients separately will ensure that everything mixes evenly together later on. Eventually, the ingredients will start to clump together to form a dough. If you are using a whisk, you might find it helpful to switch to a rubber spatula. If the flour is too sticky, add up to 3 tablespoons (22.5 grams) of flour. All that mixing and whisking likely made the dough very soft and sticky. This will make it hard to work with when you roll it out. Wrap the dough up with plastic wrap, then stick it in the fridge until it hardens by up again, about 30 minutes. You can also use a tablespoon or an ice cream scoop to make the balls. You have enough dough to make 12 of them. Do not roll the dough out into a flat sheet and cut out shapes using cookie cutters; this is the wrong type of dough for that type of cookie. You want the balls to be about ½ to ⅔-inch (1.27 to 1.7 centimeters) thick. They will continue to flatten and spread as they are baking. A simple way to do this is to fill a shallow dish with 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of sugar, and then pressing one side of each cookie into it. Do not coat both sides of the cookies. Also, make sure that there are a few inches/centimeters of space between each cookie; if the cookies are too close, they will mush together. For a more colorful cookie, use colored sugar or nonpareil sprinkles. The cookies are ready when the edges turn a light, golden color. Be sure to use a spatula to transfer the cookies so that you don't burn yourself or break them. Once the cookies are completely cool, you can frost them or serve them as they are.
A:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (280°C) and prepare your baking sheet. Beat the butter until it becomes light and fluffy, then mix in the sugar. Whisk the vanilla extract and milk into the butter mixture. Whisk together the salt, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, and stir until evenly combined. Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge. Roll the dough into small balls. Flatten the balls a little using your palm or the bottom of a glass. Coat the cookies with sugar, then transfer them to a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.