Current Events Quiz 6.2

1. What was the percentage of voters who rejected Proposition 1 regarding ride sharing in Austin? Page A1 "Prop 1 defeat sparks..."
-56 percent

2. What provision of the campus carry gun laws is UT-Austin planning to implement that other schools do not plan to do? Page A1 "UT gun rules likely...." HINT: the answer is on this page, not on the jump
-A license-holder carrying a semi-austomatic handgun on campus can not have a chambered round of ammunition.

3. Why do experts say "El Chapo's" new prison a bad place to hold him? Page A8 "El Chapo's new prison..."
-The prison is in an area where El Chapo has control, the prison conditions are not very good, and it's rated one of the worst prisons. 

4. What is Petcube? page B5 "It's like Skype for Fido"
- A smart camera that allows users to watch their pets in real time and talk and play with them remotely using a laser pointer.

5. Who won the Kentucky Derby yesterday? Page C1 "Nyquist could face...."
-Nyquist

SHORT ANSWER

I have never used left or uber for a ride. 

      In the future I don't see myself using ride sharing. I think it is a good idea and helps to prevent drunk driving but  don't like the idea of getting in a random person's car. If worse comes to worse and  Ihave no other way to get home then I will use either uber or left. However, as of now, I do not see myself ever using either of those ride sharing programs. 

      I do think that ride sharing is a great idea for communities like Austin. It's a big place, hard to get around, and has lots of parties. Ride sharing helps prevent drunk drivers from being on the road, and provides ways for those without cars to get around town more easily. 

      I think the difference between ride sharing companies (like uber and left) and taxi cab companies is that taxi cab companies have much more regulations and laws for when they are driving people around. I also think that taxi's are thought more of as a way to get around town while ride sharing companies are thought more of as someone "to pick me up" from the bar. 

       I don't think that ride sharing companies should be heal to the same safety regulations as taxi cab companies. It is your choice to ride in these ride sharing companies and if you question their safety then take a cab. Ride sharing companies are making people's lives easier and if you don't like their safety policies then you don't have to use them. 

Captain Phillips review

    HOOKED on "Captain Phillips"

  "I come too far, Irish. I'll not give up," is a line delivered by Muse, a somali pirate played by Barkhad Abdi, in the film Captain Phillips. In the film, the pirates are trying to raid Captain Phillip's ship and take their money and resources. This line shows that these pirates are desperate to receive the desired ransom money as it could save their lives, just as Captain Phillips is desperate to be saved and returned to his family after being captured. Whether it be because of a financial situation, a way of life, or being captured, both groups (Americans and Somalis) in the movie are presented as desperate for something in their situation. This film is different and original from most stereotypical and cliche hero vs. villain films as it brings the two groups together and down to earth showing that even the most different of people can be equal in some way or another.
      Directed by Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips was a suspenseful drama based on a real life event. It begins with Captain Richard Phillips, played by Tom Hanks, being sent out to sea carrying cargo for countries in Africa. From the get-go, this movie is able to evoke the viewer's emotion as the wife cries for her husband's (Captain Phillips) safety overseas. (Typical Hollywood pull) While sailing, his ship, the Alabama Maersk, gets attacked by four somali pirates looking for money. The crew enters their positions, ready for attack, and then retreats to hiding in the engine room in attempts to escape the pirates. At this point, action and viewer suspense has been introduced. The movie does a great job about keeping the viewer hooked and constantly entertained. Muse is the leader of the pirates while Bilal, played by Barkhad Abdirahman, Najee, played by Faysal Ahmed, and Elmi, played by Mahat M. Ali are his crew. As they search the ship, the Alabama Maersk's crew ends up making a deal to send the pirates back without any harm. However it goes bad and the pirates take Captain Phillips hostage. The pirates plan to take the captain back to Somalia; however, all hell breaks loose when the pirates won't cooperate when the navy arrives and orders that the hostage be left unharmed.
       The story is full of unexpected plot twists yet still remains mostly accurate to the actual event that happened in 2009. There are a few flaws in the storyline compared to the actual event however these flaws, such as the broken glass layer in front of the engine room, do not take away from the meaning and impact that the movie has on a viewer. Teamwork is a theme that plays a very crucial role throughout the story and I believe is an idea that (along with showing everyone is equal in some way) impacts viewer's the most.  It can be seen in the scenes where the navy works to try and free Phillips, when the crew of the Alabama Maersk try to defend their ship, or even when the pirates work together to capture Phillips and raid the ship.
    This film was definitely intriguing throughout the entire two hours and fourteen minutes. I couldn't stop looking at the screen. The suspenseful moments where I didn't know what was going to happen next or the action packed fighting scenes where both sides were fighting for their lives really kept me hooked. Furthermore, the ending evoked a lot of emotion when seeing the situation Captain Phillips was put in. Watching Captain Phillips montage of facial expressions at the end is truly a scene to watch. Throughout the movie, they had built Phillips up as a strong and courageous man. But, to see him break down later in the movie helps people to see that it is okay to feel emotions and be sad. I believe the movie did a great job of building up the suspense for that very unpredictable moment. I also really like the way the film doesn't just portray the pirates as the "villains" in the film, but it also shows that they are doing whatever they can to survive just as the American sailors were doing whatever they could to support their families. Desperation is a feeling that can really drive the actions of a person. It seems like the stereotypical story about Americans being superior, but I think it delves a little deeper into the idea that everyone is doing whatever they can to survive in this difficult life.
    The suspense and action found throughout this film would definitely intrigue a more mature audience. I think that anyone above the age of thirteen would truly enjoy this film, and be able to grasp the meaning behind it. Even though this film does contain minimal gore and profound language, (which adds to the suspense and drama) it sends a good message to all viewers above the age of thirteen.
   If you are looking for a movie that will have you on the edge of you seat, angry, and crying all at the same time, this is the movie to watch.
 
 RATING:

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Movie Review Preview Intro

Cinemixtape

1. Name of the publication
Cinemixtape: Mockingjay Part 2

2. Name of the writer
J. Olsen

3. Grade or score the movie review on a 1-10 scale in your opinion
7 out of 10

4. High Points of the movie (performances, cinematography, plot, etc.)
-It's rising action creates good suspense and it is a relatively simple story to understand

5. Low points of the movie (performances, cinematography, plot, etc.)
-How abrupt the love triangle ends, the fact that haymitch, Effie, and Ceasar have all of 10 minutes of screen time, and the fact that it was split into two movies yet it was one book. 

6. Quote a paragraph from the review that you think expresses the overall opinion of the reviewer about the movie.
"It’s merely a disappointment, an “aw shucks” airball from a streaky shooter who’s been off his or her game for a while."

__________________________________________________________________________________
EW Review

1. Name of the publication

"Holidays" EW review

2. Name of the writer

-Christian Holub

3. Grade or score the movie review on a 1-10 scale in your opinion
-8 out of 10

4. High Points of the movie (performances, cinematography, plot, etc.)
-Digs deep into the history of the holidays, suspense is built well, does it's job as a horror film well, 

5. Low points of the movie (performances, cinematography, plot, etc.)
-Outcomes are easy to predict, the beginning of the movie (valentine's day) was very weak, casting of smith's daughter to be a stripper is grotesque

6. Quote a paragraph from the review that you think expresses the overall opinion of the reviewer about the movie.
"Some of the films are haunting, some of them more macabre, but all of them play with holiday symbolism in way that will make viewers rethink a lot of their favorite celebrations."

Movie Prep

1. Who are the main characters you would expect to see in the movie, based on the real life events?
-Richard Phillips, the pirates, Captain Larry Aasheim, captain Commander Frank Castellano, Najee

2. Briefly, in 2-3 paragraphs, tell me what you expect the plot to be in the movie, based on the real life events?
-I think the movie will start off with a ship setting sail carrying loads of cargo for a few countries in Africa, Uganda, Somalia, and Kenya. The crew remains in fear as anything could happen in any given moment. Then I believe that fear will come to life as the pirates attack their ship.
    I think there will continue to be a fight between the pirates and help will be sent to aid Captain Phillips. Later, Captain Phillips will decide to kill the pirates on the boat and violence will break out. After it ends, I think it will show the pirates that were captured serving their time.

3. Why was this story important?
-It demonstrates the danger found in pirates and that people should head the warnings that they are given. Captain Phillips did not listen when he was told that he should stay 600 miles off the coast. 

4. Why did the pirates try to take the ship?
-They wanted to take the cargo so they could sell it for money
___________________________________________________________________
1. List the five most important actors in the film.
-Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, Mahat M. Ali

2. What is the movie rated?
-PG-13

3. Who directed the movie?
-Paul Greengrass

4. Who was the producer?
-Scott Rudin
Dana Brunetti
Michael De Luca

5. What awards did it win?
-six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Abdi.
-Best Edited Feature Film - Dramatic
-Top Ten Films of the Year
-Outstanding Supporting Actor
-Best Sound Editing: Dialogue & ADR in a Feature Film

6. How much did it cost to make?
-$55 million

7. How was it received by audiences?
-The film was praised for its direction, screenplay, production values, cinematography, and the performances of Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi. 

8. What did other movie reviews think about the movie?
-Roten tomatoes was very impressed.  They said it was incredibly intense and  gave it a certified fresh score of 93%. 

Final Exam Preview Assignment

1.) Summarize what you watched and read about - let's say 2-3 paragraphs of 3-4 sentences
    -I watched and read about how to make a complete and full iMovie video. To begin you have to have your pre recorded clips that you want to put into your video. That way you can add your clips frame by frame.
    As you go along you can edit and trim the length of your clips. You can also add borders, frames, credits, and many other aspects to enhance your film. iMovie is meant to be simple to use and is very helpful to create videos quickly and of good quality.
     iMovie includes ways to import your videos, add clips, add media, and adjust clips. All of these aspects make for a better product in the end.

2.) Tell me one thing that you already knew about iMovie that the website explained

-One thing  I already knew was how to import my clips into the program o that I can work with them and adjust them.

3.) Tell me one thing that you learned new today that you didn’t know before.

-I learned that you can trim and add sound control to your films in iMovie. I think this will be really helpful during the project.

4.) What are you concerned about with this final project?

-I am concerned about making it have some sort of meaningful impact and not just being boring and pointless.

5.) What are you confident you can complete early and have ready to use?

-I am confident that I can get Ben to do the drawing whenever  I need because he has to do sketch book assignments for art anyways.

6.) If I asked you today, what do you think you will do for your video?

-I think that I will do a video of my brother drawing an inspirational or motivating image from start to beginning and do some sort of poem during the video.

Current Events Quiz 6.1

1.Who is replacing Andrew Jackson on the face of the $20 bill? Page A1 "Jackson out..."

-Harriet Tubman is replacing Andrew Jackson

2. Whys is a Texas teachers union suing the head of the state education agency? Page B1 "Teacher union sues..."
-Over a new evaluation system that ties students standardized testing scores to teacher’s scores

3. How many people have been killed in weather related accidents in Houston since the big floods of this week? Page B1 "Flood-hit Houston..."
-Eight people have been killed in the floods

4. What is the main focus or subject matter of an experiment that Westlake students were approved to send into space this week? Page B2 "Westlake students' winning..."
-The main subject matter is algae and its growth in space

5. What are 4 of the 6 ways to change the look of your room according to the article on page SA2 "Make effective decor...."
-Layout
-paint
-Upholstery
-Window Treatments

 

SHORT ANSWER

       I felt very nervous and anxious after reading this story just to know that there are people in this world that would knowingly leave contamination and potentially poison in the drinking water of people. I can’t believe that people would do this especially when they know that people are going to drink that water and it is not safe. Furthermore, the fact that the water was visibly dirty yet the state wouldn’t fix the problem is really wrong and upsetting. This town is full of people just like everyone else and the government has no right to treat them any differently.

     I had not heard of this story before reading it in the paper and kind of wish I hadn’t known as it just causes me to trust the government a little less.

       The people who knew that they were potentially poisoning a lot of people including children should be fined and go to jail. They were knowingly letting people drink dirty water that was not safe. This water could have killed people and that is just like a murder charge as they knew the dangers that the drinking water held to citizens. Those involved should not be let off easy as this was a situation that could have been stopped and controlled.

        I believe if it goes to the government they should be held just as accountable because the citizens who received this water in Flint complained to the government that it was visibly dirty and they did nothing about it. This water they were given was clearly contaminated and I believe the government should take just as much responsibility in this problem as they did not help these citizens when this dirty water was reported to them.

Free Write #3

       PROLOGUE: The nation is controlled by ducks. The king of all the ducks is the Mandarin Duck, which can be identified by it's bright colors and feather like mane around its neck. The mandarin duck is somewhat of a dictator and all the other ducks address him as the great leader. However, in this nation, their are not only ducks but there are geese. The mandarin duck and all the other ducks are very prejudiced towards these geese. They consider them outcasts and trash. This display of racism and prejudice between the ducks and the geese has caused conflict between the two species. The problems in this nation don't stop here however. The dictator duck (the great leader) has set up brainwashing ponds all over the nation so that all ducks think that he is the supreme duck and that everything he does is good and righteous. Furthermore, these ducks are secluded from the outside pond and don't know that "the great leader's" ways are not good. This nation is called ducktopia.
    In ducktopia, ducks everyday are dying due to the "great leader" and their attempts to escape. "The great leader" feels that punishment should be inflicted on any duckling that makes the slightest mistake. This punishment consists of being squished by the great webbed foot, a contraption made by "the great leader's" minion ducklings. Ducklings are put into the brain washing ponds at the age of 3 months and are taught about how great the mandarin duck's ways are. However, a few ducks are able to look past this brainwashing and see that the mandarin duck is not good for their nation. They try to escape across the BOC (border of cattails) but few make it across. However one day, Finn was born. A duckling with big ideas and a brave heart.
     Finn was immediately thrown into the brainwashing ponds but as he grew older, he was one of those ducks that knew "the great leader's" ways were not good for Ducktopia. The only difference between Finn and the other ducks that knew the mandarin duck was a bad leader was that Finn didn't try to leave or escape. Finn stayed and began to form plans and actions. He stayed away in his mud dome house for many years as he watched his nation, Ducktopia, suffer from the wrath and rule of the mandarin duck. As the years went on, Finn grew angrier and angrier with the mandarin duck. Fin was different from all the other ducks. He didn't understand how anyone could be so cruel to their own species and so cruel to the geese. Finn finally took his plans and put them into action.
    He angrily waddled to the pond palace where the mandarin duck ruled from. He threw open the doors and marched his way up to the cattail throne. The Mandarin duck immediately sent his minion ducks to stop and kill Finn but Finn had prepared a weapon that the smell would knock out the other ducks. As he trampled his way through all the minions he finally reached the mandarin duck. he mandarin duck stood up and Finn's adrenaline started rushing. Finn charged at the Mandarin Duck trying to knock him out but the Mandarin duck didn't even fight back. He just stood their and surrendered. Finn had won.
     The Mandarin Duck had never had to do anything himself so when Finn was able to challenge him and only him he couldn't do anything about it. Finn, an ordinary duck had restored peace to this nation that was once destroyed. Finn became the leader of ducktopia but gave the ducks a say in everything that happened. Ducktopia was restored to a state of peace, happiness, and success. It may not seem like one person can make a difference, but one will never know until they try.