Monday, April 25, 2016

Movie Prep

1. Who are the main characters you would expect to see in the movie, based on the real life events?
Captain Phillips, Abduwali Muse, 
2. Briefly, in 2-3 paragraphs, tell me what you expect the plot to be in the movie, based on the real life events?
A ship is captured by pirates and the crew struggle to keep control of the situation until help arrives
3. Why was this story important?
It tells the exciting story of a successful rescue by the US military
4. Why did the pirates try to take the ship?

They had 17000 metric tons of cargo



1. List the five most important actors in the film.
Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed
2. What is the movie rated?
PG13
3. Who directed the movie?
Paul Greengrass
4. Who was the producer?
Scott Rudin
5. What awards did it win?
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Edited Feature Film - Dramatic, Top Ten Films of the Year, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Breakthrough Performance - Male, Supporting Actor of the Year, Best Sound Editing, Best Editing,
6. How much did it cost to make?
$55 million
7. How was it received by audiences?
It had great reception from audiences
8. What did other movie reviews think about the movie?
Movie reviews enjoyed the movie, giving it an average score of 8.3/10

Thursday, April 21, 2016

CE 6.1

1. Harriet Tubman

2. They find the new system of evaluating teachers is unfair and isn't accurate to the skill of a teacher.

3. 8

4. To study the growth of algae in microgravity

5. Layout, Paint, Window Treatments, Upholstery

Short answer:

      My reaction to the story was to be disgusted at the blatant negligence the government in Flint had for its people, and the continued defense for the water. I had already known about the Flint situation for a while now, but I didn't know there had been arrests made. The people who knew they were poising people should be imprisoned for 10 years at the minimum. They should be at least charged with manslaughter or attempted manslaughter. I believe everyone involved in the incident should be held accountable if something they did or didn't do lead to the poisoning of the water supply.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Free Write #3

  1. Write about something ugly–war, fear, hate, or cruelty–but find the beauty (silver lining) in it

Til Valhal


      With the sound of metals clashing against each other, I fall to the ground, eyes wide open. I watch as my brothers and sisters combat their adversaries, not a single ounce of fear in them. My clothes are stained red, and the colors around me fade slowly. Blood drips off of my axe as it also gushes out of my chest. I've fallen in battle, but not after taking my fair share of English with me. The sun shines bright in the sky, its rays falling down upon the carnage below. I long for my family in my last fading moments. Will they remember me as a hero? Or will they look down upon me for falling so quickly? My sons will grow up without a father. I can only hope they become great men. My wife will be a widow, but I do not fear for her safety. She is capable enough to defend our family. I turn my head slightly as another body falls next to me. The whistling sound of arrows are among the last sounds I hear. A quick glance down at my lower body shows me that one has buried itself in my thigh. If I had not lost almost all feeling in my body, it would have hurt. The air in my lungs escapes my body quickly as I let out my dying breath. An attempt to call for the great wanderer is halted by my inability to move my lips. My last sight is of a woman with a winged helmet approaching me, and then darkness. I pass ironically more at peace than ever before, as I am carried away from the grassy field which my body lies. My friends and family must be jealous of me, for I have been accepted into his great hall.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Who:
What:
Where:
When:
Why:
How:
Who was quoted:
Strongest Quote:
Did the lead sentence make me want to keep reading:
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement:


PALS mentor elementary students


Who: PALS
What: Elementary school mentoring
Where: Elementary Schools
When: Junior/Senior Yeah
Why: To teach juniors and seniors the basics of being a mentor
How: Sending them to elementary schools to befriend and assist younger kids
Who was quoted: Amy Cox, Alejandro Garcia, Macy Hartman
Strongest Quote: "They teach me so many things and brighten my day when I see them"
Did the lead sentence make me want to keep reading: Yes
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement: Quote


Guitar strings bring forth passion


Who: Chris Lomeli
What: Creating Folk music
Where: Austin, TX
When: In his free time
Why: It's his passion in life
How: Playing acoustic instruments such as the guitar or the ukulele
Who was quoted: Chris Lomeli, Caitlin Gasco, 
Strongest Quote: "Music is what you make out of it"
Did the lead sentence make me want to keep reading: Yes
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement: Quote


Beyonce causes controversy


Who: Beyonce
What: Causing controversy
Where: Superbowl
When: Halftime
Why: Subliminal messages about the black panthers and other modern day topics
How: Wearing black, making an X for Malcolm X
Who was quoted: Angela Y. Davis, Beyonce
Strongest Quote: "I might just be a black Bill Gates in the making"
Did the lead sentence make me want to keep reading: No
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement: Statement

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Infograph Donations

CE 5.3

1. AISD and the City of Austin are working together to keep more funding for schools by raising the taxes on homeowners.

2. 6 years

3. Villanova

4. New Zealand, it would be cool to do the lord of the rings tour

5. Yes, because it allows people to make more content for posting and doesn't really have a downside to it.

S.A.


1. The major candidates left in the races are Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich for the Republicans, and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for the Democrats.

2. I support Donald Trump over any of the other candidates because I feel like he's the type of president we need right now. He has had many successful businesses in the past and I agree with his immigration policies. I also think that he will pave the way for a new type of president. He doesn't have a political background, and while he is outlandish, if he wins the presidency it will pave the way for non-politicians to run for president in the future and stand a chance against their competition.

3. The United States is definitely becoming more divided as the race goes along, primarily because of the constant hatred for Trump in minority groups that has caused violence and ill manners towards our fellow Americans.

4. What concerns me about this election is the fact that no matter who gets elected there will be a major outcry against them. If Sanders is elected, many people will be upset with his socialistic policies, if Hillary is elected, many would be upset about her sketchy past with high ranking government positions, and if Trump is elected many would incite riots and other cases of violence in protest, mainly due to the media's biased coverage of Trump accusing him of being a racist. (I only used these three because they seem to be the overall front runners of the races)

5. The biggest topic pushing the discussions the candidates are having is immigration. With the migrant crisis in Europe and the rise in terrorist attacks in European countries, many americans fear that we might be next, and call for immigration restrictions, mainly from the Republican side. The Democrat side on the other hand is fighting the call for restrictions on immigration because many of the democratic votes come from immigrants.

6. Immigration is the most important topic currently in my opinion. Right after that would be unemployment. I think these are the most important because the more immigrants that flood into the U.S., the less available jobs for american citizens. As a country we should be working for the lowest unemployment rates as possible, so that we may cut back spending on a national scale.

Friday, April 1, 2016

sports exploration activity

1. My favorite college football team is the Texas Longhorns.Image result for bevo

2. Top 5 College Teams
     1. Alabama Crimson Tide
     2. Clemson Tigers
     3. Stanford Cardinal
     4. Oklahoma Sooners
     5. Ohio State

3. 

Monday, March 21, 2016

Spring Break Free Write

      For spring break I didn't really do anything. I worked as much as I could at sonic and slept. I got a lot of experience with my job though, it's a shame I have to quit it soon. Hopefully next year spring break we'll get to do something fun, but my biggest chance of a good vacation won't be until I'm on my own. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I want to do in the future, as I still have no idea. I knew I had an interest in animals, primarily bears. Maybe I could be a zookeeper. I'd love if I could take care of animals. Maybe next year I'll know what I want to be and have a plan.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Magazine Peer Review

Magazine 1 - http://katieasjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/magazine-cover.html

a. Austin Dog Monthly; I looked at it because I like dogs
b. I like the color choices and the cover was a good shot
c. Don't let the text take away from the cover
d. The Dog attracted me
e. Yes, yes, yes
f. Yes, because I love dogs and it is interesting
g. Yes, Portrait


Magazine 2 - http://maxwelljournalism.blogspot.com/2016/03/magazines.html

a. Plutonian; I looked at it because they did a good job of making the text work with the cover
b. The cover itself is unique and the text fonts and colors work well with it
c. Try not to let the barcode cover the subject as much
d. The font and cover attracted me
e. Yes, it's the correct size but it would have been better in the other corner
f.  Yes, it caught my eye and seems interesting
g.  No


Magazine 3 - http://lukesjournalism1blog.blogspot.com/2016/03/magazine-covers.html

a. Musser Magazine; The effects of the cover image caught my eye
b. The cover photo is a good eye catcher and the text helps enhance it
c. Make the title of the magazine more clear
d. The cover image attracted me
e. No, it's missing a barcode
f. No, I'm not interested in what the magazine is about
g. Yes, portrait

Newspaper Design 1


Friday, March 4, 2016

Other High School Newspapers

1. Arapahoe Herald, it has a strong message sent through minimal words
2. Hanford Altitude, it has a controversial image as its cover.

Newspaper Introduction

1. El Paso times, because they have everything someone needs in the front of the paper, including weather and big issues.
2. "Mexico will not pay for border wall", It gives enough information to get me interested but not too much so I want to read it more.
3.Three
4. Large titles, colorful pictures and logos, first picture is larger than others
5. Logos and positioning of stories and photos are different in most.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

CE #5.1

1. Bernie Sanders-31% Hillary Clinton-68%
Ted Cruz-41.6% Donald Trump-27.8%

2. 600

3. Test its new drug AeroVanc

4. Adult Beginners

5. Mens- Kansas, 67-37
Women's- Baylor, 74-48

Short Answer

1. No, it would be a terrible creation that would be exploited by the government and criminals alike. If apple were to create the backdoor, it would be overused and abused by many.

2. No, if someone were to take my phone I wouldn't want them to have access to any of my information, even the most public of information like my number. Nobody should be able to access the information stored in my phone but me.

3. Never. For too long the government agencies have been able to get away with violating our privacy to protect against "terrorism". It serves no purpose to protect the citizens of the USA, so it should not be an excuse to violate our privacy and personal information. It isn't an argument about "if you have nothing to hide, why be scared?", it's a blatant excuse to violate citizens' privacy, and would be abused if given the ability to.

4. No, my parents don't look on my phone or social media ever. The only time they have was when I was 10, and first had access to a cell phone. They may pay for the phone, but I would rather have them take it away than have them checking it because they don't trust me.

5. The only justifiable time parents should check their children's phones is when they are still young and new to having this much access to the internet. Parents who check their child's phone when they are older than 13 are invading their privacy.

6. I think children should be exposed to electronic devices at age 10 as the earliest. Kids abuse privileges when they are younger and will get addicted to the internet and technology at an early age if given too much access to it earlier than age 10. In today's world, it is important to know how to use the internet properly and safely, but parents now are giving their kids too much access to the internet at too young of an age, and kids are getting spoiled and used to it.

Friday, February 19, 2016

CE 4.4

1. "Hack" their own consumers' devices
2. Carnitine
3. Competition with online stores
4. It would make it hard to find opponents for sports
5. Occulus Rift, HTC Vive

Short answer

1. The Issue with the Supreme Court is that it is currently split 4-4 with liberals and conservatives. This would be a problem if there was a case with a split decision.
2. The cause of this issue is the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the court's senior conservative.
3. Yes, Congress should fix this issue asap. If the split supreme court continues it could get in the way of an important decision in the future.
4. Yes, the President must decide weather to appoint a liberal, conservative, or moderate justice to correct the even amount of justices. I think that a moderate justice should be appointed, in order to not have a biased Supreme Court.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Lone Star Dispatch 4

Rewards created for good attendance raises questions
Summary- AISD has released incentives to encourage students to go to class, such as exemption and off periods. This is so that the district can earn more funding from the state. It is also to improve graduation rates.
Who?- Students of AISD
What?- Attendance Incentives
Where?- AISD
When?- Now
Why?- Encourage students to attend class
How?- Offering personalized parking spaces and other incentives

Vibes for Vohl comes back
Summary- Vibes for Vohl, a group started by AP Environmental Science teacher Nikki Vohl to raise awareness for brain cancer, is planning on racing at the annual Head for a Cure 5k in Camp Mabry.
Who?- Nikki Vohl
What?- Head for a Cure 5k with Vibes for Vohl group
Where?- Camp Mabry
When?- April 2
Why? To promote brain cancer awareness
How? Running a 5k


Friday, February 12, 2016

My favorite cover


Favorite


Photograph by Junko Kimura
"How do you show Vladimir Putin—a deliberate and calculating persecutor of minorities in his own country—as Person of the Year, without having to explain your choice? We approached this several ways, before deciding on the provocative placement of the cover line. It was a statement, and one we felt justified as a reference to the way in which Putin’s transgressions had gone relatively unpunished. The image was not altered in any way (despite some fevered blogs claiming otherwise); we just had the colors match the old propaganda images of the wartime era."













This cover is my favorite mainly because of the lighting. It shows how taxing Vladimir Putin's role as leader of Russia is by highlighting his wrinkles and facial features equally. The background also helps bring these features out, because it highlights his pale skin and doesn't distract from the main focus of the portrait, him. Him not looking directly into the camera sends a message of exhaustion from him, and gives the viewer a sense of how much effort he puts into his work. The minimal text on the cover is very good because too much text would distract from him or cover some of the features so well highlighted in the portrait.

Best Magazine Covers 2015

1. Formal
2. Environmental
3. Informal
4. Informal
5. Formal
6. Formal
7. Formal
8. Environmental
9. Informal
10.Formal
11. Informal
12. Formal
13. Formal
14. Formal
15. Informal
16. Formal
17.Informal
18. Informal

Magazine Tips

1. How does it hold up compared to other magazines
2. does it catch someone's eye
3. Use interesting colors
4. Don't judge it completely by how it looks on the screen
5. Don't litter the cover with text

Monday, February 8, 2016

Prompt Shoot 2

COLD












ELECTRIC













PURPLE

CE 4.3

1.    a. It's in Travis County
       b. It's linked to birth defects
       c. It is active in bodily fluids
       d. Pregnant woman are at risk
       e. There is no vaccine

2. Opening a large solar panel farm

3. Practical Nurse, Electrician, Plumber

4. The Broncos, 24-10

5. Stolen Miley Sex Doll Recovered


___________________________________
Short Answer

1. My favorite photo is "Pedal through the powder", because it shows an old man riding his bike through a snow storm and is inspiring to me. I also like it because the photographer did a good job of making the man the main focus of the picture even though there's a background.

2. "Flight of the Angel" had the most interesting stuff going on because of the background. It shows a woman in a renaissance era outfit with many colors, surrounded by others dressed up and normal people taking pictures and cheering at the woman.

3. "Cruz in Control" was the most boring picture. It was boring to me because I feel like I've seen this same exact photo so many times in the past, as nothing in the photo stands out from any of the other political photos. Ted Cruz looks exactly the same and is surrounded by other nameless people that surrounds every other photo of him or other presidential candidates, and nothing stands out at all.

4. "Tears for Victims" has the most interesting subject. I found it interesting because it shows a woman crying and the colors catch your eye, bringing you in and making you wonder about the context of the photo.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Portraits and Self Portraits

Quotes
1."have your subject focus their attention on something unseen and outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue"

2."here are a lot of ‘rules’ out there when it comes to composition and I’ve always had a love hate relationship with them. My theory is that while they are useful to know and employ that they are also useful to know so you can purposely break them – as this can lead to eye catching results."

3."Sometimes posed shots can look somewhat…. posed. Some people don’t look good in a posed environment and so switching to a candid type approach can work."




Environmental Portrait

I like that it shows a big part of his life, and I picked it because someone who doesn't know him can look at this picture and get an understanding of what he likes to do.


Self Portrait

I picked this because the camera is well adjusted and doesn't take the focus away from the man's face.

Image result for photography self portrait



Casual Portrait

I picked this because his face isn't centered but the background is blurred out so he is still the main focus of the photo.
Image result for casual portrait

Friday, January 29, 2016

Free Write - "Ella"

"Ella"


When I saw her, she became my sun and I was caught in orbit.

When she saw me, I was pierced by her sharp emerald eyes.

When he had her, she was a cliff that I couldn't help but fall from.

When I had the one who loves me, she lost my eye for a moment.

When the City of Angels reunited us, I was in a bittersweet hell.

When they went their separate ways, I lost my morals.

When we connected, I was haunted by the one who loved me, as I lay covered in Aphrodite's hair.

When the goddess slept, I broke the one who loved me.

When she heard, she shut me out, and I wept on the floor.

When she rescued me, I was graced with her delicate touch.

When I had her, I thought us inseparable.

When a speeding car proved me wrong, I was a broken man.

When she rest for a year, I finally visited her.

When she spoke to me from the grave, my mortal wounds had been mended by her words.

When I returned home, I fixed my connection with the one who loves me.

When I mourned her death a decade later, I was lifted by the undying support of the one who loves me.

And I rest next to the one I love, embracing the one who loves me.  

Monday, January 25, 2016

Photo Manipulation and Ethics

1A. Photo manipulation is an important issue, especially in the middle east. An Orthodox Jewish newspaper replaced two female ministers with males using photo editing. Also, an Iranian missile test was edited by removing a failed missile and duplicating successful launches to make the overall test look better.

1B. This type of photo editing is unethical or acceptable because it takes away from the reality of the picture as a whole, and alters the truth. A picture should be an accurate record of what was happening at a certain time or place, and ultimately should have minimal editing on it.

2A.
.
This is the most unethical example of photo editing, because it gives viewers the idea that the two important public figures and enemies met and debated, despite such an event never happening.

2B.
 
This is the least unethical example of photo editing because all that was changed from the original photo was a fencepost that was added, and doesn't really affect the picture at all.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Prompt Shoot (Photoshopped)


This is happy and the rule of photography is the rule of thirds



This is Metal and the rule of photography is lines



This is Bowie and the rule of photography is balance



This is Square and the rule of photography is Rule of thirds



CE #4.2

1. 83,591
2. Trading 607 acres of public land for 1,185 of private
3. Rose, Quartz, Serenity
4.  Yes, I think it's fine if they enjoy it
5. Visit the Bullock Museum's "Life and Death on the Border", because I love history


SHORT ANSWER

1. According to the article, the major cause of global warming is the increasing use of Greenhouse Gases, which keep the suns heat in the earth, like a greenhouse.
2. According to the article, global warming can cause more frequent storms, because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor.
3. Yes. I've always been aware of it and thought it was an important problem, and even as a little kid I was shocked that despite all the information about it we have, people still continue to view it as a problem that won't affect us.
4. As a society, we can do many things to stop or at least slow down global warming, like carpooling, or not using cars at all, using electric cars instead, and by consuming less energy as a whole.
5. Yes, I think global warming is one of the most important issues we'll face in our lifetimes. It not only affects every human, but it also affects every animal, plant, or any other forms of life on earth. We're already seeing polar bears starting to die off due to lack of land because of the melting ice caps. In our lifetime the water levels will rise slowly, and people won't realize that it's a real problem until it's too late.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Photography Composition

Simplicity-


Rule of thirds- 

Lines- 

Balance- 

Framing- 
Merger- 


Tuesday, January 12, 2016

CE #4.1

1.   Breakup note, Retrospective, Social push, Tee up for Democrats
2. He was under surveillance when he met with the Drug lord
3. Space Oddity, Fame, Heroes, Let's Dance
4. $1.4 Billion
5. Yes, I'm a big star wars fan and it would be a fun experience.

Short Answer

Friday, January 8, 2016

Lone Star Dispatch stories review

NEWS:
"Vibes for Vohl and recovery make a strong come back"
Summary: Science teacher Nikki Vohl has brain cancer. Many people, teachers and students included, are helping her as much as possible by walking in the annual "Head for a Cute" race.
Quoted: Nikki Vohl, Emily Kuster, Jessica Davis
Strongest Quote: "This journey has been a roller coaster, it brings perspective to my life but you know, it's sad, just really sad, and it's really not fair,"
Lead Sentence: No, it didn't really catch my attention.
Conclusion: Statement

COMMENTARY:
"Science Fair is getting too competitive for students"
Summary: Editor Gavin Farner complains about the Science Fair and its worth in a student's GPA. He brings up that many students have a lack of time or money to complete said project, and offers a solution of lowering its worth or making it non mandatory.
Quoted: No one.
Strongest Quote: There were no quotes in this story.
Lead Sentence: No, I wasn't hooked by it, but maybe if I had experience with the science fair I would have been.
Conclusion: Statement

STUDENT LIFE
"Senior fights a life-long disease with no sign of a cure"
Summary: Katy Jacobs has type one diabetes. Her friends and family help her as much as they can, but she is a strong person and doesn't need much help.
Quoted: Katy Jacobs, Bryn Williams, Summer Hawkins, Gary Jacobs
Strongest Quote: "Look at your disease no more than brushing your teeth, you don't want to do it, but you do it all the time."
Lead Sentence: Yes, it caught my attention and made me want to read more.
Conclusion: Quote

ENTERTAINMENT
"In Review: Mockingjay Part 2"
Summary: Fuaad Ajaz describes "Mockingjay Part 2". He describes it in depth, talking about how characters change and spoils a little of the movie.
Quoted: No one.
Strongest Quote: There were no quotes in this story.
Lead Sentence: Yes, I was interested about the movie.
Conclusion: Statement

ATHLETICS
"Girls basketball thrives through the season changes"
Summary: The girls varsity basketball team is doing well this season. They are preparing for an upcoming game vs Westlake that is supposed to be difficult, so they can finish strong in the season.
Quoted: Vickie Benson, Amber Lotz, Kianna Ray
Strongest Quote: "The team does not cheat on effort, they understand the value and importance of giving it their all."
Lead Sentence: No, it seemed generic.
Conclusion: Quote

IN DEPTH
"Students celebrate the holiday season in different ways, but with a similar spirit"
Summary: There are many different religions that celebrate around the holiday times. Many different students here at Bowie practice many different religious holidays, and it's important to be tolerant of them.
Quoted: Nour El Houda Remli, Andy Moe, Sam Searles
Strongest Quote: "When I have kids I'll definitely teach them to be accepting of all religions and understand their differences."
Lead Sentence: Yes
Conclusion: Statement


PHOTOGRAPHY
Favorite Photo: "Combat Surrender" on Page 9 because it looks accurate enough to be a picture from WW2
Least Favorite Photo: "Lets play ball" on page 10, because in my opinion it's too boring for a sports story.

favorites from 2015

I like this because the Giraffe has managed to live 5 years with a broken neck, which amazes me.


This photo is one of my favorites because it looks like something a famous painter would make, but it occurs naturally.
This is my picture of 2015 because this event is what opened my eyes up to terrorism being a threat to everyone, not just the US. Later the ISIS Paris attacks did that for me too, but the Charlie Hebdo shooting made me realize that it was an issue.







Adele's new song Hello was my favorite from 2015 because she wasn't making music for a while, and she came back with such a good song.

Mad Max: Fury Road was my favorite movie from 2015 because of the experience. I first saw it in theaters with my friends, and we were all awestruck. The movie made us feel like we were in the truck with Max from start to finish. The second time I watched it at home with my dad and I felt the same way.

In my opinion, the most important story of 2015 was the New York Prison Break, where two convicted murderers escaped a New York prison almost identically to the way a prisoner escaped prison in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption", leaving behind a note with a smiley face and escaping through sewage pipes.