Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Newspaper Review

News - Encore! Encore! Miss Saigon hits the stage at GAHMSTA
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
This story was about Bowie preforming t the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards. They won first place in 3 categories and were nominated for 13 out of 15 of them. 
Who was quoted in the story?
Sophomore Jenny Harms 
Sophomore Paige Bradbury
Sophomore Juliana Davis
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
" I have to say we'll miss preforming Miss Saigon, I gained a lot of experience also the musical had such a powerful story line." -Sophomore Juliana Davis
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
I think it pulls the reader in so yes. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
It was a quote.


Trends and Culinary - Kendra Scott proves to be a success with teens
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
This story is about the new jewelry craze created by Kendra Scott. It tells how much people love them how you can customize them to look how you want them to. 
Who was quoted in the story?
Sophomore Anna Olson
Junior Ashley Ellis 
Junior Alexa Antoniadis 
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"Its always fun to go to the Kendra Scott store because there are so many options. There's a jewelry bar where you get to pick out what colors and styles you want." -Sophomore Anna Olson
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Not really but its probably because I find Kendra Scott to be highly overused. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
It was a quote.


Student Life - Prom
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
This story is all about the prom that happened on May 17th. Its mostly told through Madi Hacking's quotes. 
Who was quoted in the story?
Senior Madi Hacking
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"The only thing i would change about the night was making it last longer."
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
It did though it sounds almost like they are preparing to talk about Graduation. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
It was a quote.


Entertainment - Singers show off their skills
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
This story is about Bowie Idol that recently happened. I gives you quotes about it from the winner and other contestants. 
Who was quoted in the story?
Junior Alexa Antoniadis  
Student Council Advisor Jimmy Ellerbrock
Junior Madelyne Martinez 
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"Bowie Idol is not just a singing competition, and we don't want it to look like just a singing competition." 
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading? 
Yes, I really enjoy the lead of this story. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
It ended with a statement. 

Sports - Mountain bikers compete in state championship race
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
This story is talking about the new Mountain Biking club. 
Who was quoted in the story?
Coach Ryan Logan
Sophomore Chad Bobbitt
Freshmen Justin Curci 
Sophomore Stephan Demerson
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
"It's a fun club to be in and a great way to stay in shape."
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
No because it really is just a statement. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
It was a quote.

Commentary - Finals stretching limits and need to be changed
Write a two sentence summary of the story.
I talks about how completely unfair finals are. They expect us to take a test about everything we have learned then let it make or break our whole semester grade. 
Who was quoted in the story?
It was commentary so only the girl who wrote it, Paige Rife.
What quote was the strongest in your opinion?
The whole thing made a lot of sense and I related to all of it. 
Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading?
Yes, because I totally agree with it. 
Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?
A statement. 

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Picture Captions

Picture 1  Bubble Race Raises 2 Million Towards Finding Cure 
Five hundred bikers show up to support the foundation researching a cure for a very damaging brain cancer. They raised almost 2 million dollars and had a great time doing it thanks to the bubbles.

Picture 2  Woman Rescued From  Death by Oxygen Loss 
Local woman, Trisha Colman, being saved from an almost certain death by local fire department. After being stuck in a car for almost 2 hours with little oxygen, the fire fighters finally were able to remove her from her car with little brain damage.

Picture 3  Where Art Shines In A Dark Place 
A new building opens in East Austin dedicated to giving people a place to express themselves through art. The building is full of white space just waiting for new artist to come and bring some creativity and light to a not-so-great part of town.

Picture 4  Texas Rangers Salut Their Captain For The 
                 Last Time
Several current and veteran Rangers show up to honor their fallen commander in chief. Captain Eric Duran was shot in the chest during a high-risk take down and will be honored for his heroic actions.

CE 6.3

1. What is the Veterans Administration accused of doing to U.S. military vets? Page A1 "Obama: VA chief has job on line"
They manipulated waiting lists in hopes of hiding long delays. 
2. What song prompted Iranian leaders to arrest six young men and women? Page A2
Happy by Pharrell 
3. Look at the political cartoon by Marshall Ramsey on Page A9. What is the meaning of the cartoon?
I think it represents that maybe we are all focussing on ourself and entertainment like the new 'Godzilla' movie when there is a very terrible syndrome happening in the Middle east. Or maybe its just saying how this syndrome can be more destructive and kill more people than even Godzilla can.
4. What is so unique about the medals that will be given to winners at the Xgames which will be held in Austin next month? Page C10
The medals double as belt buckles in a way to bring the Texas vibe to the games. 
5. What is the Art Science Gallery doing that combines science and discovery? Page D1
There was an insect based exhibit and they are bringing in paintings and things focused on science. 
6. Read one of the obituaries found on page B4 or B5. Read one of the longer ones. What elements make up an obituary? What kind of information is available. What thing would you expect to read in an obituary that you rarely find in on (see if you can deduce this one on your own)? Did you know that many new reporters first assignments are to write obituaries? What would you think about having to write one of these?
They usually state their full names, what they were(mother,father,sister,ect.), what they did with their lives, and how they died. It sometimes includes where they were born, where they lived, and something about their family. Not all of them said how they died and I find that a little strange considering this is a piece devoted to their death. I had no idea that their were actual journalist writing these, I just assumed it was the family. I would not want to write one of these because I find them try sad and morbid and I like writing happy or opinion pieces. I also would never want an obituary dedicated to me because I doubt random  people reading the paper care that I died.  

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Writing Prompt

   

23. Write about your body 

   I don't think it is ever easy to write about your body. Everyone has things they dislike about their bodies and having to face up to them can be challenging.
   I would say that up to the age of eleven, I was always comfortable in my skin. I never really took the time to notice differences between my body and my friends or stopped to think I might not be as pretty as them. But then puberty hit, fast and hard.
   Having your body change in front of your eyes can be completely terrifying. Its almost as if you’re a child one moment then suddenly thrust into the world of pimples and uncomfortable body hair and one step closer to becoming an adult. Your body becomes something you can barely recognize when you look in a mirror.
   And with puberty comes the self- doubt. I started comparing myself to other people from my best friends to a model I saw on a magazine. I saw how my body was different in most ways from all of them and typically not in a good way. While my friends were blossoming into pretty, some-what mature looking swans, I was stuck in this perpetual ugly duckling stage. And my self-esteem to a big hit because of it.
   I spent a lot of time wondering why I looked the way I did. Other girls were tall or skinny or had perfect skin, and I was just me. Not very tall, or skinny, with pimply, oily skin, me. 
   Until one day I realized I was fine the way I am. I’m no where near perfect, nor will I ever be, but who is? No matter who you are, you are going to have little imperfections and things you don’t like about your body. That weird freckle under your eye, your crooked nose, or your abnormally large feet.
   But those big feet, not-so-straight nose, and oddly places freckle are a part of what makes you who you are, no matter how cliché that sounds. The world would be would be a boring place if everyone looked the same and didn’t have things that set them apart from everyone else.
   So, even though I’m not a hundred percent happy with my body, I don’t spend anymore tome obsessing over why it is the way it is. Everyone looks different and we should lean to embrace that.  

  

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

CE 6.2

1. Why did the grand jury decide not to charge deputy sheriff Randy McMillian? Page A1 "No charges in taser incident"
Officials said that Nino de Rivera acted aggressively towards McMillian and thats why he tased him.
2. Why is the European court ruling about Google searches so interesting? Page A1 "European court: Google can be forced to remove links"
It is giving individuals a choice on what can be learned about them on the internet. 
3. Why did Michelle Obama recently have a photo taken of her holding a sigh with the words 'Bring home our girls'? Page A4 "US aircraft aid in search for missing Nigerian girls" BE SPECIFIC
Almost 300 school girls were kidnapped recently and are being held hostage. The government are now working to bring them back after it was said they would be no negations with the captures who have killed hundreds of people recently. She is being a part of the campaign to get the girls back.
4. Why was the discovery of a chronometer such a big deal? Page B2 "Researchers: Chronometer was 'Big Discovery'"
Its from the 18th century and used to be a very big deal. It also helps to show how old the ship is.
5. What will the iPad hopefully be able to do with the next software update? Page B8
It will be able to multitask by having a split screen when you want to have 2 apps open at the same time.

Last week an inmate who was scheduled to be executed in Oklahoma was given the lethal injection, but there were problems with the drug mixture and it took him over 40 minutes to die. While observers and prison officials watched he writhed and struggled before finally succumbing to a heart attack. Lethal injections and the use of the death penalty have come under fire because of this event. The problems really started about a year ago because the main supplier of the drug combination went out of business and states have struggled to find replacements that are as powerful and work as well. 

If someone has been convicted in a state that has the death penalty, what should the obligations of the state be when it comes to actually executing that person? I am not asking you what you think about the death penalty, just what you think the state should have to do when they are going to execute a person

I think that they should have to kill them, as simple as that. If you kill someone in cold blood, you should be put to death, however it happens. I realize that the people being put to death are still people but I have no sympathy for people who have caused misery and suffer a little before they die. Though that may sound bad, I think that if these criminals wanted to die a peaceful death, they shouldn't have committed the crime that put them in this kind of situation.












Monday, May 12, 2014

Movie review


   This weekend I went to see the new movie The Other Woman. And though I enjoyed seeing this movie, I have some opinions I’d like to share about it.

   I really enjoyed the plot of this movie. It’s set, mostly, in modern day New York, though the characters travel several different places. The movie revolves around three main woman characters that find out that the husband of one of them is dating the other two, who were not aware he is married. They bond over their mutual hatred for the man who lied to all of them and set off to ruin his life.

   I think this movie was casted very well. The characters developing over the movie was very believable due to the great acting. Kate Upton made her big-screen debut in this film and though her character was cute, her acting was only mediocre. This was also Nicki Minaj’s first time acting on a movie and she did an extraordinary job on her small part.

   Overall, I am glad that I saw this movie. I don’t think I ever want to see it again though. I like the idea of this plot but I don’t think it was executed that well in this movie. Some scenes seemed to be too crazy to be even mildly believable. The scene where the 3 woman confront the man was very unbelievable because he ran into a glass wall, completely shattered it, and walked away like it was nothing.  The ending has to be the most disappointing of all.  It was so abrupt and left me wishing they spent more time on it and gave more details. The scene used text on the scene to tell what happened after the movie instead of actually showing it which would have been better and easier to understand.

   This movies main theme was probably woman empowerment. When we face the facts, we live in society that mostly believes men hold more power than woman, and this movie challenges that. The main guy character thinks that the woman in his life aren’t smart enough to find out about each other, and that even if his wife does, she isn’t strong enough to leave him. And he is completely wrong.  Another theme is that friendship can be found anywhere.  The main characters become friends because they were all lied to by the same person then bonded over it.

   I think this movie is more geared towards 20 to 40 year olds. I liked it because I am pretty mature and have always watched things that were more geared towards adults.  It was rated PG-13 and that rating was completely appropriate for it.


   I would give this movie a six on a scale of one to ten. I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn’t amazing.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

CE 6.1

1. Why did members of the group ADAPT protest at the Texas State Capitol over the weekend? Page A1
They believe that people with disabilities don't have enough say in politics. 
2.  Why is it so important that the Austin milk bank get a new home? Page A1
They save people lives with that mil and need a more for more donations.
3. Why are dog owners unhappy about proposed changes at Auditorium Shores? Page B2
They wish to have their dogs off of their leashes more than the new designated areas allow.
4. What makes Pinterest popular? Page B5
People are able to browse products and then easily click the picture that leads to the website where they can buy said product.
5. What would you see if you went to the show "Sputnik"? Page D1
They used puppets to tell a story about the environment. 

A. Recently a ferry ran aground and sunk in South Korea. Many of the people on board who were killed were high school students on a field trip. As the investigation has continued a number of people have been arrested and will be charged with a crime. Among those are the captain of the ship who was reportedly one of the first off the ship and was on one of the few lifeboats that got away. The ship had been modified to carry more passengers and this may have contributed to its sinking (which was very quick, some reports say as fast as 10 minutes). It has spread to the government of South Korea and the Prime Minister of the country resigned over the weekend. What do you know and think about this event? AND (please don't forget this part) Who should be held accountable, the captain of the ship, the owners of the ship itself, the Prime Minister of the country (this would be like President Obama resigning over an airplane crash that killed 300 people because he withheld information about the crash for some reason)??? Why??


I knew some of the information above but not all. I definitely think that the captain should be held accountable for abandoning the ship. He left a lot of people to die when he should have stayed to help people get off safely. I also believe that the Prime Minister should have some kind of consequence for abandoning his country in a time of need. Both were very cowardly and should be punished.




Friday, May 2, 2014

Movie Prep


1. Who are the main characters you would expect to see in the movie, based on the real life events?
I would obvious expect to see captain Phillips and then the pirates and crew. 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 movie plot to revolve around the Somali pirates hijacking the ship. I think it would show how the crew reacted and how the captain was taken hostage. And then a scene with Captain Phillips being rescued.
3. Why was this story important?
I think it is important because of the bravery Captain Phillips showed and can maybe teach others how to react to that situation and ones like it. 4. Why did the pirates try to take the ship?
I think the pirates wanted the ship/ its supplies.

1. List the five most important actors in the film.
Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Catherine Keener, Max Martini, Yul Vazquez, Chris Mulkey,David Warshofsky
2. What is the movie rated?
PG-133. Who directed the movie?
 Paul Greengrass
4. Who was the producer?
 Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael DeLuca
5. What awards did it win?
This movie won a lot of award like Best Supporting Actor for Barkhad Abdi, 
Movie of the Year, and Best Edited Feature Film - Dramatic.
 6. How much did it cost to make?
Its budget was $55 million.7. How was it received by audiences?
It seemed to be taken well except with some people saying Captain Phillips wasn't a hero.
8. What did other movie reviews think about the movie?
This movie seemed to get really good reviews. Los of people talked about how gripping and exciting it was.