Into the Wild
Response #3 REVISED

One of the most important scenes in Into the Wild is when Alexander (Emile Hirsch) first gets out into the wilderness. It is his fourth day on his own in the "magic bus" that he found in the middle of the mountains. This is the scene that really shows how remote of an area he is in all by himself. He gets out and stands on top of the bus yelling and being free, completely isolated from the society he abruptly left. Also in this scene Alexander is shown running through a valley chasing after some elk and he is so in awe of the creatures beauty that a tear shows up in his eye. Not a tear of sadness or grief but a tear of joy and excitement. This is the scene that shows he really did it, he finally made his dream come true and he couldn't be happier with his decision. Alexander left his family, friends, and everyone he met on his journey to be all alone living in the outdoors. When Alexander begins to carve his thoughts into the plank of wood it shows again how dedicated he was to find his happiness and how excited he is that he completed the journey. Part of the quote he carves is "Two years he walks the earth. No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist" He then ends the quote saying "No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild." This is an important quote because it explains how he lived the best years of his life, he was happy and had little to worry about. He made some great friends along the way who helped him out and this scene sums up the fact that all of those people no matter what they did to help, were a large part of Alexander fulfilling his dream. I think this scene proves to everyone that if you set your mind to something, it can be done, you just need to believe in yourself.

How to Set Up a Tent

Response #2 REVISED

 

 

 

          For my job at Equipment Rentals I set up large tents that parties, carnivals, and festivals take place under. In order to set up a large tent let's say a 40 X 80 foot tent there are many steps. First, you start by measuring and laying down four 20 X 40 foot ground liners then lay the tent tops on top of them. Once laid out you lace the tops together while the other crew members lay out side poles, ratchets, center poles, stakes, and base plates. There is one rule: "Miss a lace, buy a case" so you do not want to miss laces on the tent top! When all of the four foot long steel stakes are laid out you pound them into the ground with sledge hammers and connect the ratchets to the stakes and tent top. Starting at the corners you put in the poles and tighten the four corners. Once they are tightened you put the center poles in the tent top crown and pull them to the center of the tent. The center poles can be very hard work at times and may take up to five guys to get set into place. When the center poles are straight vertical you can put in the rest of the side poles and tighten the tent so it looks good and will be sturdy in heavy winds. Roll up the ground liners, clean up extra supplies and get on your way back to the shop.

Is Winning Above Everything Else?
Response #1 REVISED

In a recent news article by David Maraniss he argues that "winning actually isn't the only thing" in a response to the controversial Seattle Seahawks victory over the Green Bay Packers Monday night. Everyone has seen this play and nearly everyone knows that the true call should have been an interception resulting in a Green Bay victory. It was very clear the Seahawks had been given a victory they did not deserve, but Seattle players and coaches weren't man enough to admit defeat. Maraniss along with everyone else was upset to hear the interviews after the game from Russell Wilson, Pete Carrol, and Golden Tate. They all knew it was the wrong call but they boasted that they had deservedly won the game even though it was due to arguably the worst call in the history of the NFL. Maraniss was more disappointed in Russell Wilson's response because he is such a down to earth and all around good guy, not to mention he was the Wisconsin Badger's quarterback last year. What Maraniss was getting at is that even though these players are excited about the win they should still be man enough to admit that they were given the win they didn't deserve. For the good of the game and respect for themselves they should admit that they didn't deserve to win that football game.

http://forum.sbrforum.com

In no way should anyone be able to honestly disagree with Maraniss' opinion that the refs blew the game and the players should admit it. When I first saw the interview by Golden Tate, the player who "caught" the game winning touchdown, I was disgusted. I couldn't believe he could honestly say he didn't push Sam Shields to the ground and proceed to say he had possession of the ball. I lost all respect for him and his coach for what they said regarding the controversial call. You would think an NFL receiver would be man enough to admit he got away with one after that call. This game tampered the NFL and what many people previously thought of it. Although they were happy they won the game, that was not the most important part of the night. Of course I was very angry when the refs called that a touchdown but after the interviews I was beyond mad and I lost a lot of respect for a lot of players and what they said.

 

Stevie Wonder

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Stevie Wonder





Stevie Wonder

By: Amelia Olsen

Calvin Michiels

Natalie Trumm

Tyler Tennies



Our journey began on the third floor wandering around for a miscellanious C.D that turned out to be The Rolling Stones Album--Some Girls

We went down to the second floor and had to look for a newspaper which was hidden in a jungle of bookshelves.

Then we searched around for a shark hanging from the cieling and found a paw print under it.

The shark information led us to these eggs and then we had to go to...

We told her the famous dog show was the Westminister Dog Show then she gave us a V.

This was the Charlie Chaplin bookshelf that led us to the letter C.

Calvin found a monkey in a cage and fought it in order to get the letter H.

We had to find the Smithsonian Institution call number, so we did. We got the letters S and I.

Then we met a janitor and stole his elevator twice and rescued Stevie Pointer from the archives.

We won,

The End

One of the most important scenes in Into the Wild is when Alexander (Emile Hirsch) first gets out into the wilderness. It is his fourth day on his own in the "magic bus" that he found in the middle of the mountains. This is the scene that really shows how remote of an area he is in all by himself. He gets out and stands on top of the bus yelling and being free, completely isolated from the society he abruptly left. Also in this scene Alexander is shown running through a valley chasing after some elk and he is so in awe of the creatures beauty that a tear shows up in his eye. Not a tear of sadness or grief but a tear of joy and excitement. This is the scene that shows he really did it, he finally made his dream come true and he couldn't be happier with his decision. Alexander left his family, friends, and everyone he met on his journey to be all alone living in the outdoors. When Alexander begins to carve his thoughts into the plank of wood it shows again how dedicated he was to find his happiness and how excited he is that he completed the journey. Part of the quote he carves is "Two years he walks the earth. No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist" He then ends the quote saying "No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild." This is an important quote because it explains how he lived the best years of his life, he was happy and had little to worry about. He made some great friends along the way who helped him out and this scene sums up the fact that all of those people no matter what they did to help, were a large part of Alexander fulfilling his dream. I think this scene proves to everyone that if you set your mind to something, it can be done, you just need to believe in yourself.

Genre: Looking at Movies

War movies usually have a common theme of "complete the task, win the war"  In these movies there is always a certain goal that the characters must obtain.  It could be to save a prisoner, take out an opposing platoon, or win the war in general.  The most common setting for war movies is in a city of rubble where there has been fighting for weeks or in fields.  In most war movies there are two sides fighting each other and you are taking the viewpoint of one of the two sides.  Some stories have to do with the heroic platoon leader and how he courageously leads his men to victory over the other side.  He makes big decisions and obviously takes it to heart if he ever loses a man.  The usual character type in war movies are hardnosed men in battle and women taking care of them in the care centers or hospitals.  The men usually are very brave and strong people.  There aren't usually stars that repeatedly do war movies, the cast looks like a bunch of real army men since these movies are most likely based on true stories.  War movies are unlike many other genres for that reason. 

Realism and Anti-realism: Looking at Movies

Realism, anti-realism, and verisimilitude appear in nearly every movie ever made.  Realism is what always involves mediation and interpretation.  It can also be apparent as what some may say, somewhat of an illusion.  In "Barsam's: Looking at Movies" realism is depicted through the view of a woman whom looks like a woman that you would see in real life.  Another example of realism is in a special I watched about the deepest parts of the ocean and what can be found down there.  It seems almost unrealistic that some of these creatures exist but in reality they are down there but most of us will never see them up close.  Anti-realism is a sort of treatment or opposing end of realism.  Going back to Barsam's view, anti-realism is depicted through a woman whom looks nothing like a real life woman would.  She has sharp angles and fractured shapes making up her false body.  Another example of anti-realism is Phineus and Ferb a children's show.  The characters heads are shaped like triangles which is unrealistic.  Verisimilitude is the convincing appearance of truth no matter how unrealistic things may appear on the screen, it convinces you that they are really there.  This reminds me of all the Paranormal activity movies when they show ghosts or footprints with no body.  It acts as if that is really there when it might not be. 

My favorite types of movies are action, war, and comedies.  One of the best movies I have seen for a while though is Act of Valor.  It is a movie about the Navy Seals and some of the missions that they go on and put their lives in harms way to save people they have never met.  The way that they complete these missions is incredible to me.  During my favorite scene of the movie the Seals pull off some of the most incredibly sophisticated manuevers and actions.  They go into foreign places and save people that are being held hostage and they dont even think twice about it.  These are very dangerous situations but they do them to protect their country and other people in their crew.  They are a very close crew of guys, like a family.  Although the end of this movie is very sad it shows how strong of a bond these guys have in real life situtions for each and every person in their crew.  One of the last scenes the main character jumps on a grenade to save the rest of his crew.  This was very sad but also showed how much he cared for other people.  The fact that this movie is based on a true story makes it all that much more real.  When the movie was over nearly everyone in the movie theater just sat there and thought about the movie, it was a very different feeling.  I recomend this movie to mature audience only because it is graphic but still a great movie. 

How to Build a Snowman

How to Build a Snowman

Tyler Tennies

Kara Kasmarek

Calvin Michiels

How To Build A Snowman

Making a snowman is commonly mistaken as an easy project. Most people take it for granted that they even have the chance to make a snowman. 50% of the United States doesn’t even receive snow because it’s way too warm out in the winter season. Some people go their entire lives without even seeing a single snowflake or getting to play around in the white wonder. This information only pertains to people who receive significant amounts of snowfall. We will inform you how to make the biggest, coolest, most radical snowman on the face of the earth.

First, you must wait for a very snowy day. (See picture 1) After there was a nice snowfall the day or night before, go outside and check the consistency of the snow. If the snow is packy and easily made into snow balls, it is ready for a snow man. Before you go out and make it you must collect your materials. Grab two sticks, a scarf, a top hat, seven pieces of coal, three buttons, and a tobacco pipe. After you have gathered your materials, put on your snow gear and get outside! (Picture 2)

After you have adapted to the cool weather start rolling a ball in the snow. (See picture 3) Keep rolling this ball of snow until it is about up to your hip. (See picture 4) After you have created the first ball, you must move on and create another ball. For the second ball you should roll it just like the first however make it about 3/4ths the size and make sure you will be able to lift it. As soon as you are done rolling that ball, place it on top of the first ball. (Picture 5/6) Finally make one more ball. This ball should be about ½ the size of the second ball. When the third ball is rolled, place it on top of the second ball. (Picture 7) You now have created the outline of the snowman. To make sure the snowman is sturdy; make sure you pack snow around where the balls meet each other. This will make sure your snowman doesn’t fall over.

When the outline of the snowman is done, it is time to add the materials to make your snowman a man. The first part of giving your snowman personality is by adding the face. Take two pieces of coal and put them on the smallest and highest snow ball. Place them on the ball so they look like eyes. After the eyes are placed, it is time to place the nose. Take the carrot and put it in the center of the smallest and highest ball. This is the snowman’s nose. Take the last five pieces of coal and create the snowman’s smile. Make an arc that is facing upward to achieve this look. Finally, we get to the last piece of the face, the pipe. Place the pipe into the smile. Anywhere on the smile will be fine. You can see where everything should be placed in picture 10. You now have created the face and all you have left to do is to add the scarf, button, top hat, and arms.

First, grab the two sticks from your pile of stuff. Put one stick in the left side of the middle ball. Do the same with the other stick but on the right side. These sticks should look like the snowman’s arms. (See picture 9) Next take the scarf and wrap it around the snowman’s “neck” (this is the space between the top snowball and the middle snowball). Make sure to wrap it tight so the snowman stays warm! Take the three buttons and on the middle snowball, find the center. Create a straight, vertical line with the buttons. Leave about a three inch gap between each button. Find the top hat and place it on top of the snowman. Take a step back and enjoy your masterpiece. Finally, take a picture of your big, cool, radical snowman.

How to set up a tent

 At my job I set up large tents that parties, carnivals, and festivals take place under.  In order to set up a large tent lets say a 40 X 80 foot tent there are many steps.  First, you start by measuring and laying down four 20 X 40 foot ground liners then lay the tent tops on top of them.  Once laid out you lace the tops together while the other crew members lay out side poles, ratchets, center poles, stakes, and base plates.  There is one rule: "Miss a lace, buy a case" so you do not want to miss laces on the tent top!  When all of the four foot long steel stakes are laid out you pound them into the ground with sledge hammers and connect the ratchets to the stakes and tent top.  Starting at the corners you put in the poles and tighten the four corners.  Once they are tightened you put the center poles in the tent top crown and pull them to the center of the tent.  The center poles can be very hard work at times and may take up to five guys to get set into place.  When the center poles are straight verticle you can put in the rest of the side poles and tighten the tent so it looks good and will be sturdy in heavy winds.  Roll up the ground liners, clean up extra supplies and get on your way back to the shop. 

Winning Isn't Everything

Respose to "Winning Actually Isn't the Only Thing" by David Maraniss

In a recent news article by David Maraniss he argues that "winning actually isn't the only thing" in a response to the controversial Seattle Seahawks victory over the Green Bay Packers Monday night.  Everyone has seen this play and nearly everyone knows that the true call should have been an interception resulting in a Green Bay victory.  It was very clear the Seahawks had been given a victory they did not deserve, but Seattle players and coaches werent man enought to admit defeat.  Maraniss along with everyone else was upset to hear the interviews after the game from Russell Wilson, Pete Carrol, and Golden Tate.  They all knew it was the wrong call but they boasted that they had deservedly won the game even though it was due to arguably the worst call in the history of the NFL.  Maraniss was more dissapointed in Russell Wilson's response because he is such a down to earth and all around good guy, not to mention he was the Wisconsin Badger's quarterback last year.  What Maraniss was getting at is that even though these players are excited about the win they should still be man enough to admit that they were given the win they didn't deserve.  For the good of the game and respect for themselves they should admit that they didn't deserve to win that football game.

http://forum.sbrforum.com

In no way should anyone be able to honestly disagree with Maraniss' opinion that the refs blew the game and the players should admit it.  When I first saw the interview by Golden Tate, the player who "caught" the game winning touchdown, I was disgusted.  I couldn't believe he could honestly say he didn't push Sam Shields to the ground and proceed to say he had possession of the ball.  I lost all respect for him and his coach for what they said regarding the controversial call.  You would think an NFL reciever would be man enough to admit he got away with one after that call.  This game tampered the NFL and what many people previously thought of it.  Although they were happy they won the game, that was not the most important part of the night.  Of course I was very angry when the refs called that a touchdown but after the interviews I was beyond mad and I lost a lot of respect for a lot of players and what they said. 

Disconnected Summary

                After watching "Disconnected" I really realized how dependent the world and also myself is on the use of technology, especially the internet.  Of course I knew that nearly everyone uses it but since that is how I was brought up, I don't find it to be out of the ordinary that we depend so much on the internet.  I really don't know that I would be able to go for three school weeks without my laptop because of how often I must turn in my homework online; when not in school it would be possible.

Best of Will Ferrell

My first post

A lighthouse

This is a test