Sunday, April 30, 2017

C.E. #6.1

1. What are the exact addresses of buildings that have been the focus of the Austin City Council for failure to provide acceptable housing standards for residents. Page A1"City my pay $600,000..."The exact addresses of the buildings that have been the focus of the Austin City Council for failure to provide acceptable housing standards for residents are on 1127 and 1205 E. 52nd St. 


2. What is SB 6? Page B1 "Conservatives press Texas House to vote..."
SB6 is a bill that does not allow transgendered people to use the restroom of their choice but rather on what is on their birth certificate.

3. What is ArtStartArt? Page B5 "Austin startup aims to connect...."ArtStartArt is a business that is going to help students sell their work to buyers.

4. Who were the winners in the NHP play-offs last night? Page C6 "Rangers, Penguins..." HINT: there were 5 teams that won games.The winners of the NHP play-offs last night were Bruins, Sharks, Penguins, Blues, and Rangers.


5. What would you like to do from the list of five this long weekend? Page D2 "The Long Weekend:Five things to do"
I would like to go to the Abloom at Domain Northside. 

Long response:

President Trump views state that he believes there is no possibility the United States and Russia could be allies. The United States government and Trump are investigating plans Russia has that the United States did not know about nor agreed with. Trump used to be praised by Putin and had plans on seeking out further relationships with Russia. I believe that Trumps views still haven't changed and he is lying to the American people. Russia will most likely not respond to this but if they do it will be minor. I think it will impact me if Russia takes action with the US or I will continue to hear constant news about Russia and the US in the media. 

Friday, April 28, 2017

Car Raid

1. Who will your do your car raid with (who is your subject)?
Grandma or Kandace

2. When will you do this car raid?
I will look all around the car for random things to find, choose a few that stand out to me and ask about them. I will also ask questions about some interesting experiences they have has in the car.

3. Write 4-5 questions you can use to start this interview?

1. What kind of car do you own?
2. What is your full name? 
3. How long have you had this car? 
4. What is an interesting or weird story about your car? 

4. What kind of details should your expect to write down to help advance the story line?
Little things found in the car
the overall description of the car itself
little quirky things about the car
experiences the driver has had in the car 

HDR Intro

1. What manipulations to the camera will you need to make to create an HDR image?
You will need to take the same photo with varying shutter speed and aperture. 

2. What equipment will we use to take this type of image?

You will need a tripod, a camera (preferably with Auto Exposure Bracketing), and HDR photo-blending software.

3. What is the reason someone might take an HDR image?

To avoid dull photos and accurately capture a high contrast scene. 

4. What can we expect to happen with the images once we merge them together, what will we see that we might not have seen with just one photo?

What happens to these images is they look like surreal wrks of art with bright colors and contrast that captures both ends of the spectrum (light & dark). 

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Pirates and SEALS and Ships Oh my!

Captain Phllips is an invigorating film about an American Cargo Ship captain who gets kidnapped by Somali Pirates whilst he is out at sea. Tom Hanks plays Captain Phillips who is captured by Muse (Barked Abdi), Faisal Ahmed (Najee), and Mahat M. Ali (Elmi) aka the Somalian Pirates. I like how the actors portray the pirates as poor Somali fishermen rather then ravenous murderers. This then creates an emotional attachment  between characters as well as the watcher due to the fact it shows they are human. Humanizing all characters creates a theme that everyone has a background, even if they are scary pirates. The ensemble effort overall is magnificent which is evident in the chosen cast. As Phillips and the Pirates are out on see the United States Navy is notified of pirate activity and the hostage. This is is indicated by dialogue and costume as well as the choice of actors for these parts. The part of Max Martini as the SEAL commander is especially authentic to me due to the decisions he made to keep Captain Phillips alive. They way he negotiated with the pirates to me (a rabid law and order watcher) seemed extremely real life and authentic. I personally thought this movie appealed to all senses and leaves you at the end of your seat until the very end. The balance between suspense and the rest of the movie is exceptional and is tastefully chosen to make the movie control the watchers emotions.  The emotion and reality of the events in this picture really allow watchers to feel like they are transported into the movie, these effects keep the watchers attention throughout the whole movie. The action and down time of the movie is delicately balanced to do this as well and it truly does evoke the senses of the watcher. The setting to me was very realistic and the lighting in dark scenes really enhances this. The camera work adds an extra touch of authenticity due to the fact that it is never actually stable as it would be out on sea. In the end, the emotion that comes from Tom Hanks is very effective to spark empathy in the watcher. The Audience Demographic of Captain Phillips would be for adults and teenagers who are looking for a thrilling, realistic action movie. I would give this movie an eight out of ten because although it is not the most interesting plot it is carried out spectacularly and sticks to the historical events pretty closely.

Movie Review Notes


  •  emotional attachment to the kid
  • Pirates are not portrayed as murderers but as poor somalis 
  • The after shock of the captain evokes empathy in watchers
  • characters evoke biased in watchers (like some better then others)
  • climax(s)- when the pirates board ship, when captain boards life boat, negotiating with navy, the tow, when the snipers fire
  • the music is tastefully chosen so that it blends into the movie seamlessly and puts watchers on edge 
  • Exciting and Suspenseful 
  • Tom Hanks- Captain Phillips 
  • Somali Pirates, An american Cargo ship, and dangerous days at sea 
  • Realistic camera work
  • Lighting is extremely accurate as well as setting 
  • Barked Abdi (Muse)
  • Max Martini (SEAL commander)
  • Faisal Ahmed (Najee) 
  • Mahat M. Ali (Elmi)
  • Micheal Chernus (Shane Murphy)
  • Summary:
  • Cargo ship out to sea
  • sees threats of pirates
  • they go away 
  • they come back
  • try to take over ship
  • get money and captain
  • get in life boat
  • Audience Demographic: Adults and Teenagers who are looking for an thrilling realistic action movie 
  • Themes present in this story: Everyone has a story or background 
  • Ensemble Effort - Interactions between americans and pirates seem very authentic and tense throughout the movie  
  • 8/10 - Not my favorite movie can get slow but keeps you on edge and is extremely realistic  
Pirates and SEALS and Ships Oh my!

Captain Phllips is an invigorating film about an American Cargo Ship captain who gets kidnapped by Somali Pirates whilst he is out at sea. Tom Hanks plays Captain Phillips who is captured by Muse (Barked Abdi), Faisal Ahmed (Najee), and Mahat M. Ali (Elmi) aka the Somalian Pirates. I like how the actors portray the pirates as poor Somali fishermen rather then ravenous murderers. This then creates an emotional attachment  between characters as well as the watcher due to the fact it shows they are human. Humanizing all characters creates a theme that everyone has a background, even if they are scary pirates. The ensemble effort overall is magnificent which is evident in the chosen cast. As Phillips and the Pirates are out on see the United States Navy is notified of pirate activity and the hostage. This is is indicated by dialogue and costume as well as the choice of actors for these parts. The part of Max Martini as the SEAL commander is especially authentic to me due to the decisions he made to keep Captain Phillips alive. They way he negotiated with the pirates to me (a rabid law and order watcher) seemed extremely real life and authentic. I personally thought this movie appealed to all senses and leaves you at the end of your seat until the very end. The balance between suspense and the rest of the movie is exceptional and is tastefully chosen to make the movie control the watchers emotions.  The emotion and reality of the events in this picture really allow watchers to feel like they are transported into the movie, these effects keep the watchers attention throughout the whole movie. The action and down time of the movie is delicately balanced to do this as well and it truly does evoke the senses of the watcher. The setting to me was very realistic and the lighting in dark scenes really enhances this. The camera work adds an extra touch of authenticity due to the fact that it is never actually stable as it would be out on sea. In the end, the emotion that comes from Tom Hanks is very effective to spark empathy in the watcher. The Audience Demographic of Captain Phillips would be for adults and teenagers who are looking for a thrilling, realistic action movie. I would give this movie an eight out of ten because although it is not the most interesting plot it is carried out spectacularly and sticks to the historical events pretty closely. 

C.E. #6.2

1. What are the new income tax brackets proposed by the Trump administration (hint there are three)? Page A1"White House wields sharp tax ax"
There will be three new tax brackets instead of seven which are 10 percent, 25 percent and 30 percent proposed by Donald Trump. 

2. What are the three biggest challenges facing the AISD school board according to outgoing Region 6 member Paul Saldana? Page A9 "Saldana opens up about resigning.."
The three biggest challenges facing the AISD board are budgetary, enrollment, and equity. 


3. What are the five Austin-based apps to make your life easier? Page B5
Five Austin-based apps that make your life easier are Lawn Starter, Snap Sitter, Favor, Tip Cow and Burro.


4. Which teams have the top-3 picks in the NFL draft tonight? Page SE2 "It's all defense at the top of this draft"
The teams that have the top 3 picks in the NFL draft are The Cleveland Browns, San Fransisco 49ers, and the Chicago Bears. 


5. What is a ramada? Page SA3

A ramada is a brushed arbor native americans used for shade and to protect plants. 

Long Response:
Sanctuary Cities are cities that states have that allow illegal immigrants to stay in the United States without the pressure of deportation from the national government. I think sanctuary cities are good for the United States because obtaining citizenship is a long and hard process that takes time and money. Relieving the worry of deportation from these immigrants is very important and helpful to them. SB4 will eliminate sanctuary cities. 90-52 was the vote on SB4. I think SB4 will not have a big affect on our community and the lack of it would keep the way we have been running and we have been doing great. 

Monday, April 10, 2017

Lonestar Dispatch #5

'New leader takes first steps'- Front page 

Summary: The AISD board has chosen Mark Robison as the new permanent principal at Bowie High school. Mr. Robison had a meeting with the staff of Bowie last Friday to discuss his plans and views for the school. 

Who: 
 Mark Robinson
What:
New principal 
Where:
 Bowie High School 
When:
Next school year 
Why:
Bowie has a temporary principal and needed a new permanent principal. 
How:
The AISD board of trustees chose Mark Robison 

Who was quoted in the story?
Mark Robinson 
Brad Lancaster
Amanda Toon 
Ruth Ann Widner
Susan Leos

What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"I understand that high expectations are placed on a school with so many strengths and I'm confident that we will continue to cultivate a culture of excellence."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Yes

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
A quote 

'Twins balance school, extracurriculars and themselves'

Summary: Twins, Brooke and Taylor Foulard are involved in many activities in and outside of school. Juggling sports and AP classes can be a struggle but they push each other to do their best. 
Who:
Brooke and Taylor Foilard. 
What:
Are successful in school and in sports
Where:
Everyday lives 
When:
Present
Why:
 Stress with school and extra activities 
How:
 involved in multiple things 

Who was quoted in the story?
Brooke Foulard
Taylor Foulard
Janine Foilard

What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"Juggling everything can be stressful. but i always try to stay positive and never give up."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Yes

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
Quote.

'Class of 2017 prom transforming into New York City' - News

 Summary: The 2016-2017 school year end is coming upon us which means it is time for senior prom. The theme of this years prom is New York City to end this year with a bang. 

Who:
 Class of 2017
What:
 Prom planning
Where:
 at Bowie 
When:
all year
Why:
Prom is coming up
How:
 with the help of their sponsor

Who was quoted in the story? 
Bridget Alvarez
Carlyn Crow
Deanna Dellana
Lauren Noe 

What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"It's a great way to end senior year before we all part ways."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Yes

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
A quote


Getting to the roots of the tree and all of its problems

Summary:
The grand Bowie tree in the center of the courtyard has been in need of care and treatment. Jacob Wallace started a Go fund me to raise money for the tree. It is so important that the tree receives care because it is special to the Bowie community and Austin.

Who;
Bowie Tree
What:
Has been lacking nutrients and needs care.
Where:
The Bowie courtyard
When:
Early February to now
Why:
It is important to the community to keep it alive

Quoted:
Jacob Wallace
Andy Angstrom
 James Ellerbrock
Tristian Rodriguez

 Strongest Quote
"This tree not only represents the beauty that defines Bowie, but it is also the binding that holds the place together."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Yes
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
quote

"Sticking it to their competitors"
Summary: 
The Bowie High School girl's lacrosse team have earned many successes. The have won many games and have grown together closer as a family.  
Who:
Bowie Girls Lacrosse team 
What:
 Successful season
Where:
Bowie High School 
When:
Right now
Why:
 They are winning the games
How:
they have good team mates

Who was quoted in the story?
Juila Krebs 
Luana Lopez
Coach Jesse McCarthy 
Veronica Cruz
Brianna Martinez
Rosa Heim
 
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"They really have showed us the best and worked on our weaknesses and made us better individually."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
yes

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
Quote

Juniors guide students to perform under the spotlight

Juniors have direct the play The Laramie Project for the underclassmen to perform, especially freshman. It gives the juniors a chance of auditioning to be senior directors and the underclassmen the opportunity for growth in acting.

Who:
Starlight Theatre Company
What:
a play with interviews
Where:
Bowie high school
When:
This spring
Why:
it gives opportunities for underclassmen and juniors
How:
the play helps students learn and grow

Quoted:
Blake Moyer
Emily Robinett
 Anika Scoma 

Strongest Quote:
 "That's truly what it is: the preservation and presentation of a culture. I look forward to seeing where my senior year takes me"

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
yes

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
Quote

"Immigration laws getting out of hand" 

Summary: 
When Donald Trump took office  there has been more immigration law enforcement then ever before. Trump wants to make sure that no illegal immigrants enter the United states. This article talks mostly of laws that Trump would like to pass to control immigration. 

Who:
 The illegal and legal immigrants in the U.S.A
What:
 Immigration laws
Where:
 In the U.S.A
When:
  Recently passed
Why:
 To get illegal immigrants out of the US
How:
 By a law 

Who was quoted in the story?
No one 

What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
no one is quoted in this article 

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
yes
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement? 
Statement 

"Day in a life: junior lieutenant" 

Summary:  
Soon to be Silver Star captain, Junior lieutenant Morgan Andrews explains her experiences as a Silver Star at this level. She also explains her preparation for being captain next year for the Silver stars. 

Who:
Former Junior lieutenant Morgan Andrews
What:
She is junior officer and next years Silver Star captain
Where:
Bowie High School 
When:
This and next year 
Why:
To help out and captain the Sliver Star team
How:
 By auditioning
 
Who was quoted in the story?
Morgan Andrews
 Courtney Allison  
Hannah Parson 

What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"The best quality about Morgan is her ability to dream."

Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
yes 

Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
Quote

Photography:

1. What is your favorite photo in the entire paper?
My favorite photo was "Catchin and Throwin"
1A. Why is this your favorite?
I liked the depth of field in this picture and how it really froze the moment it was taken.
1B. What rules of photo composition are evident?
Balance

2. What is your least favorite photo in the entire paper?
didn't like the dark Tommy photo. 
2A. Why is this your least favorite?
It was not very well composed.

3. If you were a photographer on staff, which event/photo assignment would you have liked to do for this issue? You will need to look through the entire paper and see the topics covered and decide which one you think would have been fun.
I think it would be fun to do Sticking it to their competitors.

4. Overall, how would you rate the photography in this issue? What were the strong points and weak points. 
I think this was a very good issue an 8/10 it had some very current and informing stories that are relevant to students. 

Movie Prep

1. Who are the main characters you would expect to see in the movie, based on the real life events?
The Crew 

Larry Aasheim 
Hamac 
Richard Phillips 
Ali Aden Elmi 
Frank  Castellano 

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 would expect the plot to be about an American Cargo ship that was attacked by Somali Pirates. I suspect that the movie would follow the plot line very closely with the crew members staying in the engine room and exchanging one of the pirates. I would also expect Phillips story of how he was taken by the pirates on the life boat and how he managed with that. I would also expect to see the crime scene and how other authorities are involved before they found Phillip.

3. Why was this story important?
The story was important because the events that took place were not very common before especially in the United states. 


4. Why did the pirates try to take the ship?

think they wanted the cargo and then money for themselves.

Pt. 2 
1. List the five most important actors in the film.
Tom Hanks 
Barked Abdi 
Faisal Ahmed 
Mahat M. Ali 
Catherine Keener

2. What is the movie rated?
PG-13

3. Who directed the movie?
Paul Greengrass

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

5. What awards did it win?
BAFTA award for best actor in a supporting rile 
Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

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

7. How was it received by audiences?
The movie was loved by audiences and made a almost 4 times the amount of money then what was spent as well as nominated for 4 golden globe awards.

8. What did other movie reviews think about the movie?
Most critics enjoyed the movie due to the cast and how the movie was very well adapted. 

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Movie Preview

Beauty and The Beast 

1. The New Yorker
2. Anthony Lane
3.  7, sometimes hard to follow
4. The movie is high quality, the animation is great, and the movie incorporates diversity.
5. Some low points include different music from previous remakes of this movie, awkward start of music, and the weak voice of Belle.
6. "Still, the sheer dexterity is overwhelming, and only the sternest viewer will be able to resist the onslaught of such thoroughly marketed magic. “Beauty and the Beast” is delectably done; when it’s over, though, and when the spell is snapped, it melts away, like cotton candy on the tongue."

La La Land 

1. NPR
2.  Linda Holmes
3. 7, easy to follow although there is not many cons in the article
4. High points of the movie include the element fantasy, stunning costumes, and a simple plot that is taken into a breathtaking movie.
5. Low points of the movie are that Gosling and Stone are not musical people although they are very charismatic and are capable of the part
6. "It's a movie for people who love darkened theaters, who love movies, who love movie stars, and who love giving themselves over to other people's art without a pause for cynicism."





Friday, April 7, 2017

Sports Current Event

Hoppe in game-changing role for Rouse in playoffs 

3. Haley Hoppe got 3 knee injuries playing high school soccer that was potentially fatal to her career. She is now coming back and with a new position change playing better then ever.

4. Hat trick, Forward, Defender, Penalty area

5. Senior, One that stands above the rest, attack-minded players

6. I think this article is a feature because I focusses in on Haley Hoppe and her soccer career swell as her injuries.

7. The article names season games that Haley Hoppe has played in and each sentence explains if it was a win or loss and what she contributed to the game as well as the score.

Sports Exploration activity

1. Soccer
2. Carli Lloyd


3. Team Rankings For Women's National Soccer Teams
1. Germany
2. The United States (Carli Lloyd apart of team)
3. France
4. England
5. Canada

4. SUMMARY
As of this year the US Women's National Team has played a total of 3 games internationally with 2 losses and a win. Last year the team played a total of 25 games, won 22 and tied 3. In 2015, the USWNST won the Fifa Women's World Cup in Canada with Carli Lloyd three of the five goals winning the title against Japan. Although the USWNST has won many gold olympic medals they did not receive the title last year or even make it to the finals and the title was taken by Germany. Three important rules in soccer are you cannot touch the ball with your hand or arm unless you are the goalie, you cannot be offsides or past the last defender before the ball is kicked, and you must take the correct kicks for when the ball goes out of bounds in certain areas. Jargon that is used in soccer includes Maradona, nutmeg, and hat trick. The Maradona is a move used when you want to pass a player where you use your body to spin around the ball distracting the other player. A nutmeg is when the ball goes through someone legs in anyway. A hat trick is when a single player scores three goals or more in a single game. A cliche is that male soccer players are actors because of the amount of fake injuries players use to get foul on the other team. This is true but it is strategical towards the game and helps the team if they are loosing badly. An athlete who is a legend is Lionel Messi also known as one of the best soccer players in the world. Messi was born on June 24, 1987 and he did not go to college. He currently plays for Barcelona and previously played on Argentina. He is the only player in history to score more then 40 goals in 8 consecutive seasons and he has won the most FIFA Ballon d'Or awards.